Automated safeguards do not ensure complete driving safety
Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Apr 2024
A new ratings programme that encourages automakers to incorporate more robust safeguards into their partial driving automation systems found that out of the first 14 systems tested, only one was able to earn an acceptable rating.
The ratings programme developed and introduced by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety of the US revealed that out of the remaining 13 safeguards tested, two were rated marginal while 11 were rated poor.
Vehicles with partial automation are not self-driving — though automakers sometimes use names that imply that their systems are. The human driver must still handle many routine driving tasks, monitor how well the automation is performing and remain ready to take over if anything goes wrong. While most partial automation systems have some safeguards in place to help ensure drivers are focused and ready, these initial tests show that they are not robust enough.
The shortcomings vary from system to system. Many vehicles do not adequately monitor whether the driver is looking at the road or prepared to take control. Many lack attention reminders that come soon enough and are forceful enough to rouse a driver whose mind is wandering. Many can be used despite occupants being unbelted or when other vital safety features are switched off.
These results are worrying, considering how quickly vehicles with these partial automation systems are hitting our roadways. But there is a silver lining looking at the performance of the group as a whole. No single system did well across the board but in each category at least one system performed well. That means the fixes are readily available and, in some cases, may be accomplished with nothing more than a simple software update. M