IIHS New Safety Rating: Current Driver Assistance Tech Falls Short

Current Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Fall Short of Safety Standards

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), no currently available advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) would satisfy forthcoming safety benchmarks.

The organization, financially supported by auto insurers, announced on Thursday a new rating program designed to assess the safety measures employed by vehicles utilizing “partial automation” to maintain driver attention.

IIHS Rating System Details

IIHS will categorize systems as good, acceptable, marginal, or poor. The initial ratings are anticipated to be released in 2022, although a precise date remains unspecified due to ongoing disruptions in the supply chain, which are hindering vehicle acquisition for testing purposes.

“While partial automation systems can reduce the perceived strain of lengthy drives, there’s no evidence to suggest they enhance safety,” stated IIHS President David Harkey. “Indeed, the opposite may be true if systems lack sufficient safeguards.”

To achieve a “good” rating, vehicles must incorporate a driver monitoring system that consistently verifies the driver’s gaze is focused on the road and their hands are either on the steering wheel or prepared to take control.

Furthermore, these ADAS must feature escalating alerts and emergency protocols in the event a driver disregards them.

Scope of the New Ratings

The new IIHS ratings will not evaluate other functional aspects of these systems that could contribute to accidents, such as the effectiveness of their camera or radar sensors in identifying obstacles.

Automakers are increasingly offering sophisticated driver assistance systems with a range of “partial automation” features. A prevalent example combines adaptive cruise control – which maintains a set speed and following distance – with lane centering, which subtly adjusts steering to keep the vehicle centered in its lane.

Automated lane changing is also becoming more common, as noted by IIHS.

Industry Trends and Consumer Reports

IIHS’s decision to rate automated driving systems aligns with a broader trend among regulators and consumer advocates to hold automakers accountable.

Consumer Reports has announced it will begin awarding points to partially automated driving systems equipped with adequate driver monitoring. They will also integrate IIHS safeguard ratings once available.

Consumer Reports’ 2022 Auto Top Picks, scheduled for release on February 17, will include evaluations of driver monitoring systems.

A two-point addition to a vehicle’s overall score will be granted if it features a system promoting safe driving as part of its active driving assistance package.

Currently, only Ford’s BlueCruise and GM’s Super Cruise systems qualify for these additional points.

Consumer Reports plans to deduct two points from a vehicle’s overall score in 2024 if it lacks sufficient driver monitoring. This penalty will increase to four points for models starting in 2026.

Current System Deficiencies

IIHS observed that while most partial automation systems include some safety measures, none currently meet all of the organization’s proposed criteria.

This deficiency can lead drivers to intentionally or unintentionally exceed the system’s safe operating limits.

“The operation of many of these systems creates the impression that they are capable of more than they actually are,” explained IIHS research scientist Alexandra Mueller, who is leading the new ratings program.

“Even when drivers understand the limitations of partial automation, maintaining vigilance while monitoring for potential issues is more challenging than actively driving.”

Marketing and System Branding Concerns

Despite the absence of truly self-driving cars available to consumers, some automakers have employed branding strategies that create confusion or exaggerate system capabilities.

Tesla has faced criticism for the naming of its Autopilot advanced driver assistance system, standard in its vehicles, and the optional FSD (full self-driving) beta software package, priced at $12,000.

However, other manufacturers have also been accused of overstating the capabilities of their systems in marketing materials.