Assisted driving systems and distraction: a complex relationship | | Google machine learning certification free | Generative ai tools | Turtles AI

 Recent studies of driver assistance systems, such as Tesla Autopilot and Volvo Pilot Assist, show that as drivers become more familiar with these technologies, they tend to become more distracted, over-relying on partial automation. These systems still require the driver’s constant attention, but analyses show that distraction increases over time, posing safety issues on the roads.

Key points:

•  Partial automated driving systems reduce the concentration of drivers, who tend to perform more non-driving-related activities.
•  Vehicle attention alerts, as in Tesla systems, are effective in the short term, but do not necessarily improve driving quality.
•  Software updates during the study periods influenced the results, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about differences in behavior.
•  Over-reliance on these systems can lead to a misperception of autonomous driving, with possible implications for road safety.

In recent years, research on driver assistance systems has highlighted a troubling phenomenon: increased distraction among drivers using technologies such as Tesla Autopilot and Volvo Pilot Assist. These systems, which fall under what is known as Level 2 automation, can handle some of the driving functions, such as acceleration, braking and steering, but still require the driver to remain alert and ready to intervene.

A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in collaboration with MIT analyzed the behavior of Tesla Model 3 and Volvo S90 drivers, showing how these systems can cause drivers to become distracted more frequently. During the test with the Volvos, participants, initially unfamiliar with the car or automated driving systems, were observed performing non-driving activities, such as using smartphones or eating food. In the case of the Teslas, a parallel study revealed an increase in attention-related alerts during weeks of use, while showing a decrease in the number of intensified alerts.

The researchers point out that, despite the initial effectiveness of the warnings, drivers often end up interpreting driving as a process in which all they need to do is apply light force on the steering wheel to demonstrate attention, without really maintaining visual focus on the road. The increasing prevalence of automated driving systems has, therefore, raised new questions about road safety. The risk is related not so much to technological inefficiency as to the human tendency to overestimate the capabilities of partial automations, mistakenly perceiving them as fully autonomous driving systems.

The research was affected by continuous software updates on both Tesla and Volvo, complicating the interpretation of the data. However, the overall result suggests that reliance on partially automated systems may promote less careful driving behaviors. Although modern vehicles are integrating solutions to monitor driver alertness, such as torque sensors or gaze tracking, there remains a need to implement additional measures to ensure that driving remains safe even in the presence of these advanced technologies.

The overall picture offers interesting insights into the future regulation of driver assistance systems and the improvement of driver monitoring solutions, without losing sight of the need to minimize the margin of distraction behind the wheel.