New cars in Georgia often come equipped with driver assist features. The technology is not without flaws, however. Recent testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed risks, and the agency has advised drivers to be on alert so that they can take control of their vehicles in the event that a dangerous incident occurs.
In a paper titled “Reality Check,” the Institute detailed warnings after testing of vehicles by several different manufacturers, including Tesla, BMW, Mercedes and Volvo. In two Tesla model vehicles, researchers found that when adaptive cruise control was turned off and automatic braking was turned on, the vehicles avoided a crash but hit a stationary balloon. The cars avoided hitting the balloon when adaptive cruise control was turned on because the mechanism keeps a set distance between the cars and other objects, such as other vehicles.
When tested on the road, researchers found that all the vehicles except Tesla’s Model 3 failed to stop in response to cars in front of them. The situations tested are covered in the vehicles’ owner’s manuals, which advise drivers that they need to pay attention to traffic conditions. The studies show that even if driver-assist functions make cars safer, they are not completely reliable.
A car accident can have serious consequences for victims involved in a crash, including lost wages, temporary and permanent injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. A personal injury attorney may be able to assist injured car accident victims who suffered losses due to another driver’s negligence.
Even though driver assist features may make roadways safer, drivers may be held liable when safety features fail. For example, in the event that an inattentive driver fails to take control of a vehicle where the driver has been put on notice by instructions in the owner’s manual to take control of the vehicle to avoid an accident, the negligent driver may be held responsible.
