Congratulations! You've just purchased or rented a car that has all the bells and whistles-like a navigation system, high-intensity discharge (HID) or adaptive headlights, a rearview camera, backing aid sensors and adaptive cruise control. Now that you have all these extra features you are quite confident you will be a safer driver than ever before, right?
Not exactly, and not a very safe assumption. A recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that drivers rely too much on these technologies and are not aware of the limitations. Do you know everything there is to know about your car's new technology features?
By surveying several thousand AAA members who own vehicles equipped with these technologies, the AAA Foundation found that an alarming numbers of drivers do not understand what the technologies can do and, more importantly, what they can't do. Based on our research, here are some specific limitations you should be aware of when driving a car equipped with these technologies.
Make sure you are aware of the manufacturer's warnings and know the limitations of your navigation system by reviewing the car's manual. The most common warnings cited in vehicle owners' manuals relate to the potential for driver distraction, and the need for the driver to not rely only on the voice guidance from the system but to make sure that all maneuvers are made legally and safely.
Find out what type of headlights your car has. Common types include halogen, HID or directionally adaptive. The ability to see greater distances at night with HID or adaptive headlights often provides a false sense of security, resulting in driving at faster speeds. And remember that the brighter HID systems increase the likelihood that you will blind oncoming drivers or those who can see your headlights in their rearview mirror.
Although designed to assist the driver by providing a warning as the vehicle backs slowly toward an object, some common backing scenarios are not helped by the cameras and sensors. Most parking aid systems cannot detect a child directly underneath the bumper. Many do not work when backing up at speeds faster than 3-6 mph and cannot detect things like a narrow sign post when backing out of a driveway onto a street and possibly into the path of an oncoming car.
Although designed to help the driver maintain an established following distance from the vehicle ahead, most adaptive cruise control systems (ACC) do not detect very slow-moving or stopped vehicles. This means that if you have the ACC on, and there is stopped traffic ahead of you, your vehicle may not slow down in time to avoid a collision. Adaptive cruise control is not collision-prevention technology. Drivers still need to pay attention and be ready to use the brakes.
These convenient technologies, and others, are designed to make driving easier, but they're not able to prevent crashes. Whenever you are driving or renting a new or unfamiliar car, read the car's manual to learn about what the car and its technology features can and can't do for you. Especially if you're counting on the car's technology, it's a must to learn what these technologies will and won't do.
Technological innovations are no substitute for checking your mirrors, turning your head to look and being ready to brake at any moment. The best innovations only support the active and engaged driver-they do not replace you and your safest driving habits behind the wheel.
For more information, including the full report "Use of Advanced In-Vehicle Technology by Younger and Older Early Adopters," and fact sheets on each technology, visit www.AAAFoundation.org.
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