Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology suites are finding increasing levels of penetration in modern passenger vehicles. Car manufacturers have been offering ADAS in their vehicles as a major feature, claiming these advanced technologies aid in safer driving. However, a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has revealed that ADAS actually pose a safety hazard, contrary to the belief that it enhances safety for the vehicle and its occupants.

The study has revealed that drivers of ADAS-equipped vehicles are more prone to distractions such as eating or using phones when the driver assistance systems are active. IIHS claims that it has monitored 29 drivers using Volvo's Pilot Assist and 14 drivers using Tesla Autopilot. The study also found that drivers quickly learned distraction alert timings, tricking the technology into thinking that the drivers were paying complete attention on the road.

Speaking on the findings from the research, IIHS said that drivers were much more likely to check their phones, eat or do other visual manual activities while using Volvo's Pilot Assist partial automation system than when driving unassisted. It also stated that when the agency tested the Tesla Autopilot users, the study found that the rate of initial attention reminders per 1,600 kilometres travelled with Autopilot engaged increased by 26 per cent over the course of the month. This showed that drivers were allowing themselves to become more distracted as they became more familiar with the system. In both these two sets of studies, it was found that drivers were not paying attention to the road when the driver-assist systems were engaged and they did non-driving secondary activities.

While these researches were conducted in the US, the theory is applicable to cars in other regions of the world as well. Being a country that is witnessing a rise in the cars with ADAS, India too falls in the same league.

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