AAA reports relying on active driving assistance puts drivers at risk

If you rely on your car's automatic lane change or braking assistance, AAA says those safety features are putting you at risk of an accident.

AAA researchers tested five vehicles with active driving assistance systems. Tests found when the cars approached a disabled car, they hit it two-thirds of the time.

"All test vehicles were particularly challenged when approaching a disabled vehicle with a collision occurring 66% of the time," said Josh Zuber, spokesman for AAA Texas.

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They found all five of the vehicles they tested had trouble staying in their lanes without driver intervention. The vehicles tested were the 2019 BMW X7, 2019 Cadillac XT6, 2019 Ford Edge, 2020 Kia Telluride, and 2020 Subaru Outback.

"AAA researchers noted these systems struggle to keep the test vehicle in its lane, coming too close to other vehicles, guard rails, and intermittently disengaging with little notice to the driver," explained Zuber.

AAA also found vehicles braked so abruptly for stopped traffic they might cause rear-end collisions.

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The takeaway? AAA wants drivers to remember avoiding accidents is still up to them.

"Drivers really need to be engaged when using these systems and understand their capabilities and limitations before implementing them into their daily routine," said Zuber. "Get a demonstration from your dealer and read the manual."

We asked the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents auto manufacturers, for their response to AAA's test results.

AAI sent us the following statement:

"We know human error contributes to 94 percent of all crashes, which is why we are focused on advancing driver-assist technologies that can help significantly enhance safety. However, as we integrate these increasingly advanced driver assistance features into more vehicles, it is critical that drivers fully understand the system’s capabilities and limitations as well as their responsibilities."