Drivers in today’s cars often don’t understand how cruise control works, according to a new study by the American Automobile Association (AAA).
According to a new AAA study, drivers with adaptive cruise control are more likely to have problems. It turns out that drivers tend to trust the system’s capabilities more than is justified by safety concerns.
For example, some drivers believe that the car will brake itself when it detects a stationary object in the lane, while others are sure that the adaptive cruise control will be able to turn to the side itself (not all cars are trained to do this).
According to AAA experts, the reason for these issues is that drivers do not receive any training before getting behind the wheel. The information that the manager at the dealership provides about adaptive cruise control is usually very limited. And reliance on the “learn by doing” formula doesn’t work in this case, because drivers can’t fully understand the technology on their own.
“This study shows that today’s automotive technology requires more than learning on the fly,” said Gene Ladouceur, AAA regional director of public relations. – “New car owners need safe, effective training before using it on the road.
To prevent drivers from making fatal mistakes, AAA suggests that all new car owners with a mass of electronic assistants follow the following plan:
- Aim to learn the purpose of the technology at the dealership, read the vehicle owner’s manual and visit the manufacturer’s Website.
- Limitations – Make no assumptions about what the technology can and cannot do. The driving assistance system should not be confused with the self-driving system.
- Practice – test the system on the road in the safest possible situations.
- Never – don’t rely on the technology; instead, act as if the car doesn’t have it, and the driver is always ready to take over if necessary.