The Automobile Association of America’s (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety recently sent out a report that showed that drivers may rely too much on their vehicles’ driving assistance systems without understanding their limitations. That is because the companies that develop these systems market them with misleading brand names that might lead drivers to believe the technology is more advanced than it really is.
The foundation said in its report that driving assistance systems with brand names such as AutoPilot and PROPilot give drivers a false sense of security by making them believe they are driving an autonomous vehicle, even though that is not the case. This, in effect, would result in accidents and possible deaths on the road.
As part of its report, AAA conducted an experiment with 90 participants who were presented two fictitiously named driving assist systems. Half of them were told about “AutonoDrive,” which was hyped as a state-of-the-art technological wonder, and half were told about “DriveAssist,” in which they learned about the limitations of this technology. After each presentation, 42% of those who learned about “AutonoDrive” thought the name overhyped the system’s capabilities, while only 11% of the “DriveAssist” group felt the same way.
AAA urged drivers not to be seduced by catchy brand names. Rather, they should learn all they can about the driving assistance system in their car and what its capabilities and limitations are. Drivers should remember that the car is not fully “automated,” and they should operate the car themselves.
Today’s cars offer state-of-the-art driving assistance systems. However, as the cars start to age, the technology becomes out of date and may not function as well. Rather than paying money to get the technology replaced, get money for your older car by selling it to Gershow Recycling. For more information, call (631) 371-2031 or visit http://clunkersintocash.com/.
