IIHS begins reviewing semi-autonomous technology | News | Cars.com

Even if you read it, a fully automatic vehicle may take years to hit the display unit near you – but only partially Features It has become increasingly common as an adaptive cruise control and online leader. BMW, Ford, GM and Toyota are taking this technology one step further by introducing hands-free driving capabilities. And with the introduction of more semi-autonomous driving features, the Highway Safety Insurance Institute is launching a new program to evaluate their defenses.

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The goal is to keep an eye on the drivers

Semi-automatic systems are designed to make it easier to drive, especially on long highways. Contrary to popular belief, IIHS has found no evidence to make driving safer. In fact, Tesla has been accused of misrepresenting the capabilities of its own autopilot and complete self-driving systems; Critics say the system encourages drivers to overindulge in technology, leading to indifference and even fatal accidents. To prevent drivers from becoming overly attached to these systems, IIHS examines how systems respond when distractions are identified.

What criteria are being evaluated?

IIHS focuses on semi-autonomous warnings. The agency does not measure additional system functions such as the number of barriers in the vehicle camera or radar system. Following the same format of the agency’s headlight review, expectations are sorted out positive, acceptable, marginal or weak. To get a good rating, the vehicle system must provide several types of alerts when the driver knows he is out of the way or has not touched the steering for a long time. Evidence suggests that many alarms would be better if the agency needed mixed warnings, including noise, vibration, braking, or seat belts. The more the driver ignores the alarms, the more aggressive they will be, with repeated and urgent warnings, IIHS says. If the driver does not pay attention, the vehicle must slow down or stop, and the driver must be locked out of the system.

Some semi-autonomous systems use a driver’s front camera to monitor the driver’s view and give alerts when distractions are detected. For example, if the GM Super Cruise detects that it is not paying attention, it will provide three alarms. Second, if no action is taken, the bar will turn red; Finally, the alarm goes off and the vehicle slows down and brakes when the hands-free system is disconnected. However, even these may not be enough to get GM vehicles to pass. In fact, according to IIHS spokesman Joe Young, most vehicles are currently not in good condition.

“In our initial survey, we saw most vehicles marking a few boxes, but none of them were fixed,” Young wrote in an email to Cars.com. “One of the major shortcomings is the lack of supervision of drivers. We want to see systems that control both driver’s view and hand position. It is not a sign that the driver is paying attention and is ready to take over for the time being. ”

The IIHS lists the full standards of a vehicle.

  • It controls both the driver’s view and the hand position
  • It uses a variety of fast-moving alarms to get the driver’s attention
  • It uses a failed security mechanism to slow down the vehicle, notify the manufacturer, and protect the automation for the rest of the drive.
  • Requires automatic lane changes to be initiated or verified by the driver
  • After a long pause or if the driver is off the road, he will not be able to adjust his control automatically.
  • It does not encourage driving while in the middle of the lane.
  • It prevents automatic features if the seat belt is not fastened
  • Automatic features prevent accidental braking or lane departure warning and warning systems if disabled

Impact on High Security Choice Awards

Although IIHS encourages new-class drivers to choose a safer vehicle, the vehicle will not be directly affected by the Agency’s two most important safety awards, Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick Plus. Similar to the IIHS’Latch ease-of Use rating system for car seats, semi-automatic shields remain a separate category from the agency’s award criteria, which include crash tests, crash prevention systems and headlights.

“IIHS has no immediate plans to incorporate this new rating program into our high-security preference or high-security Peak Plus standard,” Young said. “This will be an independent rating category, and like headlight ratings, the given model can give multiple ratings for different technologies.”

The first set of reviews is expected to be released sometime in 2022, but IIHS did not give an exact deadline, as vehicle supply tests affected the testing process.

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