The systems that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel don't improve safety because people who use them often pay less attention, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday.
WASHINGTON — The systems that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel are convenient but don't improve safety because people who use them often pay less attention to the road, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday.
Drivers with automated systems engaged are much more likely than other drivers to focus on their cellphones or infotainment screens, Chair Jennifer Homendy said at the outset of a hearing on the NTSB's investigation of two fatal crashes involving Ford's Blue Cruise system. The 2024 crashes in Texas and Pennsylvania killed three people when Ford Mustang Mach-E cars slammed into stopped vehicles."These systems function primarily as convenience features rather than safety enhancements," she said.Ford and other automakers emphasize that partially automated driving systems are not designed to replace the human drivers sitting behind the wheel, who have to be ready to take control at any time.But Homendy said automakers are marketing these systems as safety improvements that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel and focus elsewhere. To illustrate her point, she showed a Ford commercial that depicted a mother in the driver's seat pretending to conduct a symphony with her eyes closed while talking to kids in the back seat.One of the auto industry's challenges in developing systems that take on more driving functions has been how to ensure that drivers stay alert. NTSB members said the evidence is clear that drivers using these systems are more likely to shift their focus away from the road.Currently, there are no clear U.S. government standards for the systems, so each automaker's version of this technology can vary greatly, said Michael Graham, NTSB vice chair.The NTSB, which previously investigated a number of crashes involving similar systems, including Tesla's Autopilot system, is examining the effectiveness of these systems and how well they monitor driver engagement.Missy Cummings, a professor of engineering and computing at George Mason University, told the Associated Press on Monday that these crashes highlight some of the dangers of partially autonomous driving systems that allow people to disengage."Allowing people to take their hands off the wheel will also mean they will likely take their minds off the driving task," Cummings said.Ford's Blue Cruise system allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel while it handles steering, braking and acceleration on highways.
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