Despite warnings, drivers using advanced driver assistance tools like Tesla Autopilot or General Motors Super Cruise often treat their vehicles as fully self-driving, according to a new research.
According to an IIHS analysis of 600 active users, 53 percent of Super Cruise, 42 percent of Autopilot, and 12 percent of ProPILOT Assist owners "said that they were comfortable with seeing their cars as fully self-driving."
According to a survey, about 40% of people using Autopilot and Super Cruise - two systems with lockout features for failing to pay attention - had at some point switched off while they were driving and would not reactivate.
"The major message here is that the early adopters of these systems have a poor grasp of the technology''s limitations," said IHS president David Harkey.
The study comes as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reviewing autopilot collisions.
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Since 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHSA) has launched 37 special investigations into 18 fatalities in Tesla vehicle crashes and places where automobiles were suspected of being used.
Tesla has not responded to requests for comment. Tesla claims that Autopilot does not allow vehicles to be autonomous and is intended for use with a fully attentive driver who is ready to take over.
GM, which in August stated that owners might use Super Cruise on 400,000 miles (643,740 km) of North American roads, and plans to offer Super Cruise on 22 models by the end of 2023, did not immediately respond.
Similarly, IIHS suggested that Super Cruise adverts focus on hands-free capabilities while Autopilot evokes the name used in passenger aircraft and "implies Tesla''s system is more capable than it really is." ProPILOT Assist, however, said it''s rather an assist feature than a replacement for the driver.
According to the NHTSA and its automakers, none of the vehicles is capable of being autonomous.
Nissan claims that its name "is clearly communicating ProPILOT Assist as a system to assist the driver," and that it requires a hands-on operation. The driver maintains constant control of the vehicle."
Thomson Reuters 2022