According to a new study by AAA, new safety features in cars that are designed to keep drivers from hitting pedestrians don’t work consistently in some of the most dangerous situations and frequently fail at night—when pedestrians are at a higher risk of being hit.
While automakers have been advertising these new safety features, some of which include cameras, radar, and other sensors, fatalities involving pedestrians have increased in past years. Nearly 6,000 pedestrians were killed in U.S. traffic accidents in 2017, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which represents a 35% increase since 2008.
Analysts say this may be due to complacence from drivers whose cars have these safety features.
“AAA worries that the way the industry advertises these features can leave drivers with the impression they are more effective than real-world testing shows…While such pedestrian-detection systems have the potential to save lives, drivers shouldn’t become overly reliant on them to prevent accidents.”
