Frustrated drivers turn off modern safety systems designed to prevent crashes.
Features designed to ward off distractions and ensure drivers stay safely in their lane have proven so annoying to some drivers that customers often disable them.
The trend has prompted Australia's safety authority to address the very technology it once championed for a five-star safety rating.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) announced yesterday that it will launch a pilot study to test the real-world usability of lane support systems (LSS) such as Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK).
ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg said they aim to increase safety without becoming a source of “frustration”.
“Unfortunately, the behavior of these vehicles is causing consumers to question the benefits of these systems and in some cases turn them off,” she said.
ANCAP hopes that by highlighting the differences in vehicle behavior and sharing these results, manufacturers will be encouraged to improve their systems and, in turn, improve acceptance of these systems by drivers.
The results of the ANCAP pilot project will be shared with manufacturers and used to inform upcoming ANCAP test protocols and criteria for 2026-2028.
Many new cars use the DMS feature, but the latest Mitsubishi Triton was the first vehicle to be equipped with built-in DMS and was awarded five stars by ANCAP under the latest 2023-2025 test criteria in April 2024.
However, Mitsubishi's system was widely criticized for its sensitivity.
Even small actions like yawning or sipping coffee trigger the warning and distract the driver.
In response, Mitsubishi Motors has announced that it will update its driver monitoring system.
As the world increasingly embraces advanced driver monitoring systems, Australia finds itself at a crossroads.
While Europe has been quick to introduce a range of safety features in response to high road deaths, Australia has been slower to implement these systems, despite recording its deadliest road toll in 12 years.
Figures from the Australian Automobile Association showed an 11.7% increase in deaths from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, with the total road toll reaching 1310 fatalities.
Australasian College of Road Safety CEO Ingrid Johnston said safety features needed to be delivered on time.
“Delaying compulsory adoption means it could take 15 to 20 years to spread,” she said.
However, recent research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the United States shows that these partial automation systems may not be as beneficial as we think.
IIHS President David Harkey said there is little evidence that partial automation prevents crashes.
“Everything we're seeing tells us that partial automation is more of a convenience feature, like power windows or heated seats, than a safety technology,” he said.
