Adaptive cruise control encourages speeding, new study finds

Drivers accelerate more often and significantly when using adaptive cruise control, which can compromise the potential safety benefits of the feature. When drivers choose a “set and forget” speed, many choose one that exceeds the limit, essentially making automatic a bad habit.

These are the main findings of a new study which has shown that when drivers use adaptive cruise control (ACC) or partial automation that combines this functionality with lane centering than when they do not use either of these technologies. , they are much more likely to speed up.

The study was published Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a non-profit organization funded by the insurance industry.

“ACC has some safety benefits, but it’s important to think about how drivers might negate those benefits by abusing the system,” said Sam Monfort, statistician at the Insurance Institute and senior author of the article, in a press release. “Speed ​​at impact is one of the most important factors in determining whether an accident is fatal or not.”

Adaptive cruise control is a more advanced version of traditional cruise control that uses sensors to calculate and maintain a preselected tracking distance from the vehicle in front, the safety group said, eliminating the need for the driver. brake and reset the system several times. When lane centering is added, the vehicle also automatically maintains its position in the lane.

Previous analysis and research has shown that in some cases adaptive cruise control can actually reduce the risk of a crash. For example, these systems generally maintain a greater following distance with their default settings than most human drivers, suggesting that they reduce the frequency of passing and other lane changes.

However, the systems currently on the market, according to the study, do not prevent drivers from setting speeds above the legal limit, and they require constant monitoring by the driver as they are not able to handle certain conditions. common road and driving characteristics. scenarios.

For the current study, the researchers did not analyze real-world crashes, but instead focused their assessment on the behavior of 40 drivers in the greater Boston area over a four-week period. Drivers were fitted with a 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque fitted with adaptive cruise control or a 2017 Volvo S90 fitted with adaptive cruise control and Pilot Assist, a partial automation system that combines the adaptive cruise control with lane centering.

The results indicated that drivers were 24% more likely to exceed the speed limit on limited access highways when these systems were on. “The degree of exceeding the speed limit when using the speed was also higher when using the driver assistance functions compared to manual driving,” according to the study.

Users of adaptive cruise control and partial automation were found to have an approximately 10% higher risk of a fatal crash, the safety group said, noting that it used a common formula to calculate the likely results of an accident. However, the report also indicated that more research was needed to fully understand the impact of technology on security.

“Driving faster is more dangerous,” added Monfort. “You can’t argue with physics.”

To learn more about the study, click here.