Drivers want automakers to improve existing vehicle safety technologies rather than focus on developing self-driving cars, reports a new AAA consumer survey.
In its annual Automated Vehicle survey, 77% of consumers favor improving existing safety systems in vehicles compared to the 18%, who said they prefer automakers manufacture autonomous vehicles.
These safety systems allow vehicles to maintain lane position, forward speed and appropriate following distances; humans are still needed to be behind the wheel to take control of the vehicle if necessary.
This preference is justified, considering that AAA Automotive Engineering found inconsistent performance among many vehicle safety systems in recent tests since they frequently failed to prevent head-on collisions with another vehicle or collisions with bicyclists in travel lanes.
But the tests also found these same systems performed well in more routine situations, such as when cars approached slow-moving vehicles or approached bicyclists from behind.
“Our testing demonstrated that spotty performance is the norm rather than the exception,” said Greg Bannon, AAA’s automotive engineering director, who also pointed out this was the third in a series of tests over the last few years.
AAA urges automakers to listen to consumer desires for improved safety systems before focusing on the development of autonomous vehicles, considering consumer attitudes toward self-driving cars haven’t changed much in the last two years.
Although they show a strong interest in vehicle safety systems, 85% of consumers surveyed say they still fear, or are unsure about, riding in self-driving cars.
“You can’t sell consumers on the future if they don’t trust the present,” declared Bannon. “Drivers expect current driving assistance technology to perform safely all the time in cars.”
To learn more about findings in AAA’s research, visit the AAA Newsroom or www.newsroom.aaa.com.