Cars Need Driver Monitoring With Automation, AAA Says – ConsumerReports.org

About 50 percent of new vehicle models allow drivers to engage adaptive cruise control and lane centering at the same time, according to an analysis by Consumer Reports last fall. Together, these systems can keep a car in its lane and a set distance from the car ahead with minimal driver intervention, a convenience that many drivers appreciate, according to responses to a recent survey of CR members.

But decades of research suggests that drivers are less likely to pay attention when that automation is active, which could cause a crash if they arent alert and ready to take over.

Thats why Consumer Reports and other groups and agencies, such as AAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and the European New Car Assessment Program, say that driving assistance features should always be paired with driver monitoring, which uses computers and cameras to monitor attentiveness.

Research shows that these systems may be introducing new safety risks for drivers, says Kelly Funkhouser, manager for vehicle technology at CR. Its the responsibility of automakers to mitigate those risks by equipping vehicles with safeguards, such as driver monitoring cameras.

CR is now awarding additional points to the Overall Score of vehicles that pair a driver monitoring system with driving assistance features. Currently, only Fords BlueCruise and GMs Super Cruise will earn these additional points. Later this year, the IIHS will roll out a new ratings program that evaluates the safeguards that vehicles with partial automation employ to help drivers stay focused on the road.

See the rest here:

Cars Need Driver Monitoring With Automation, AAA Says - ConsumerReports.org