ADAS and infotainment systems are the biggest dangers for motorists
Economist-Brembo study: worldwide, nine out of ten motorists feel safe on the roads. Todt: too much safety is a risk
Autonomous driving, ADAS and in-car infotainment management will be the new frontier in road safety. This is not only due to the impact of these technologies, but also to the way in which messages and information are conveyed to, and perceived by, drivers. Data from a survey by Economist Enterprise, supported by Brembo, confirms this unequivocally.
Nine out of ten people today feel safe when travelling on the roads as part of their daily lives, and only three per cent of professionals cite mechanical failure as the main cause of accidents on roads worldwide. In contrast, 30 per cent of professionals cite the misuse or poor understanding of driver assistance systems as the main cause of safety issues in transport. Furthermore, 24 per cent of experts identify features that distract users from the road as the most serious safety risk. And users themselves cite their own behaviour on the road as the greatest cause for concern. Indeed, the news reports daily accounts of accidents caused by the careless use of in-car infotainment systems.
According to professionals (only four in ten say they feel safe on the roads, less than half of all road users), the way in which driver-assistance technologies are promoted can also contribute to a decline in safety: 65 per cent believe that advertising may overestimate the capabilities of these systems. 62 per cent say that the advertising itself suggests that users should pay less attention. 60 per cent believe it emphasises the benefits whilst downplaying the limitations.
The study, *Safety in motion: Driving trust in modern mobility*, involved road users and mobility professionals in ten major vehicle-manufacturing markets (Brazil, China, South Korea, France, Germany, Japan, India, Italia, the United Kingdom and the United States), which together account for around 75 per cent of global vehicle production.
Despite this high level of confidence, 88 per cent of users support more effective road safety measures, including lower speed limits and more frequent checks, and say they would be willing to pay more for safer transport systems. At the same time, 68% of professionals identify a lack of coordination between regulators and industry as the main obstacle to improving safety.
