Adrian JTLDR:
- A new study by AAA finds that technology designed to prevent car accidents is only effective half of the time.
- In scenarios involving cross traffic, the technology almost never fully prevents a collision.
A new study conducted by AAA has revealed that technology designed to prevent car accidents is not consistently effective. The study focused on reverse automatic emergency braking (AEB) technology, which is designed to activate a car’s brakes when it detects a potential collision behind the vehicle. The results showed that in scenarios involving cross traffic, the technology fails to prevent a collision almost every time.
The study highlights the seriousness of unsafe backing, with data from the MassDOT IMPACT Crash Data Portal showing that from 2018 to 2022, over 36,000 crashes in Massachusetts involved backing as a vehicle’s action prior to collision. Of these crashes, more than 2,200 resulted in injuries and 13 resulted in fatalities.
The AAA study also noted that while reverse AEB technology has clear benefits, it is not a substitute for an attentive driver. The technology has proven effective in situations where a vehicle may back into another stationary vehicle and is currently available in approximately 30% of new cars.
AAA Northeast, the not-for-profit auto club that conducted the study, has offices across six states and provides a range of services to over 6 million local AAA members. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for car manufacturers and highlight the importance of continued research and improvement in car safety technology.
