By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Motorists using new in-vehicle technologies with names like AutoPilot or ProPilot, may believe the driving assist systems are more capable than they actually are, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
"It's critical for drivers to really understand not just the capabilities, but also the limits of the new technology," said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "It's not just the drivers. AAA recommends that automakers at this point in technology development err on the side of caution when naming and marketing their new technologies."
Active driving assistance systems (ADAS) combine vehicle acceleration with braking and steering.
"It's essential for drivers, at the same time, to do their part by always staying engaged when behind the wheel," Steward said. "Most vehicles right now are not fully automated. They're not self-driving vehicles at this point."
In this latest AAA Foundation study, 90 research participants received a brief overview of an active driving assistance system with a realistic but fictitious name. Before driving the same vehicle, half of the participants were told their system was called “AutonoDrive” and were given an upbeat training that emphasized the system’s capabilities and driver convenience. The other half of the participants were told their system was named “DriveAssist,” and their training placed greater emphasis on the system’s limitations and driver responsibility. Participants trained on AutonoDrive came away with greater confidence — and in some cases, overconfidence — in the system.
"As exciting as these new technologies may be, they're not fully capable, as some of their names might suggest," Steward said. "Even if a vehicle does have some technologies that help assist you in lane keeping or braking, it's always important to be readily available to take control of that vehicle."
Additional AAA Foundation research examined active driving assistance in on-road driving with research participants and found that when motorists receive detailed, comprehensive training on the system, they initially pay more attention to the overall driving task.