1. Home
  2.  | 
  3. Car Accidents
  4.  | Are self-driving features really safe?

Are self-driving features really safe?

On Behalf of | Jan 19, 2019 | Car Accidents

Anyone in New Jersey who has ever been in a vehicle accident, even a minor fender bender, is likely to be very concerned about safety features when shopping for a new car. Today’s vehicle technology is advancing at a rapid rate and many new features are being added to vehicles that provide automated assistance to drivers. It is said that improving safety is the reason for these technologies, but one might wonder just how safe they really are.

As reported by ABC News, not every safety feature really reduces the risk of an accident. In fact, some features might have the opposite effect. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, in-vehicle infotainment systems may just well be one of the biggest causes of distracted driving on the road today. While designed for hands-free operation, these systems still take a driver’s eyes off the road. With more than 3,400 vehicular deaths in 2016 said to be associated with distracted driving, this is concerning indeed.

A study conducted by Esurance found that nearly one in three drivers reported that the audible alerts made by many safety features are highly distracting and, therefore, possibly dangerous. One in four drivers are said to have intentionally disabled at least one autonomous safety feature on their vehicles. One in ten drivers say that autonomous features actually get in the way of their driving.

This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give residents in New Jersey some idea about the potential benefits and potential risks associated with autonomous vehicle technologies.