U.S.

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has uncovered a troubling trend: drivers who operate partially automated vehicles are more vulnerable to distractions like using a phone or eating and some are quick to avoid any measures put in place to reduce the occurrence of distractions. Published on Tuesday the research looked into driver behavior over the course of a month using two of the most popular systems, Autopilot by Tesla and Pilot Assist by Volvo.

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Importance of the findings

Therefore, the study focuses on a crucial problem when major automakers attempt to introduce technologies that partly automate certain driving tasks to increase comfort and safety, as well as improve their revenues. Fully autonomous cars have had problems in proliferation whereas partial automation increases risk due to distracted drivers. The IIHS report indicates that measures currently in place may not be adequate to keep drivers alert and therefore proposes enhanced measures.

Context of partial automation

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Partial automation, which is defined under the category of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), uses camera and sensors alongside application software to control some aspects such as speed and position in the lane. While these systems can perform some of the driving tasks, the driver is still expected to keep attention to the road and be prepared to assume control at any time, usually with at least one hand on the wheel.

Key insights from the study

According to David Harkey, the President of IIHS, the findings are a good reminder of the way people learn, where if you train them to think that attentiveness means twisting the steering wheel occasionally, then that’s what they will do, further stressing that the study is a reminder of why more robust protections are required to prohibit the misuse of partial automation technologies.

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Study details

The Tesla Autopilot study involved 14 participants who drove over 12,000 miles, triggering 3,858 attention-related warnings. Drivers typically responded by adjusting the steering wheel within about three seconds, which helped avoid further escalation. In contrast, the Volvo Pilot Assist study, involving 29 volunteers, revealed that drivers were distracted 30% of the time—an alarmingly high figure, according to the researchers. These results underscore the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols as partial automation technology continues to evolve.