Car Knowledge: Is ADAS A Safety Hazard? Study Reveals Shocking Facts

Is ADAS A Safety Hazard In Cars: Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) is believed to enhance the safety of cars by assisting drivers and taking control of the vehicle to a certain extent in emergencies. ADAS is becoming quite common in modern cars these days. However, a study reveals that equipping cars with ADAS can be a hazard to vehicle safety, as it allows drivers to become more easily distracted.

According to the Hindustan Times, a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) suggests that ADAS could actually increase safety risks for the vehicle and its occupants rather than reduce them. The study found that drivers using ADAS-equipped vehicles are more likely to become distracted, engaging in activities like eating or using their phones while the systems are active. 

According to the report, IIHS monitored 29 drivers using Volvo's Pilot Assist and 14 using Tesla's Autopilot, discovering that many drivers quickly learned how to bypass distraction alerts, fooling the system into believing they were paying complete attention on the road.

According to the report, IIHS said that drivers using Volvo's Pilot Assist were far more likely to engage in visual-manual distractions like checking their phones, eating, or doing other activities, compared to when driving unassisted.

Tesla Autopilot users exhibited a 26% increase in attention reminder triggers per 1,600 km of driving over just one month, indicating that as they grew more comfortable with the system, they became more easily distracted. 

Both studies revealed that drivers using ADAS were not focused on the road and frequently participated in non-driving secondary tasks. The study was conducted in the US.