Are We Driving Too Fast Toward a Self-Driving Future?

Like “book smarts” versus practical experience in the job market, what automakers developing autonomous driving technologies can achieve in a controlled testing environment versus what happens out on the open road can be two very different things. A study just released by roadside services provider AAA indicates that partial self-driving technologies found in mass-market vehicles today could be less effective in real-world scenarios than on a closed test track — and that, like a new college grad overly eager to take on the employment sector, could translate to false confidence.

Related: Which Cars Have Self-Driving Features for 2020?

“[It’s a] dangerous scenario if a driver has become disengaged from the driving task or has become too dependent on the system,” AAA said in a statement.

The Results

The study, conducted over the course of 4,000 miles of real-world driving, concluded that vehicles equipped with active driver assistance systems — which combine vehicle acceleration with braking and steering — experienced some type of issue every 8 miles on average. Issues included trouble keeping the test vehicle in its lane, coming too close to other vehicles or guardrails, and disengaging “with little notice” and “almost instantly” reverting to human-driver control. Some three-quarters of errors by autonomous driver assist systems recorded by researchers involved instances of lane departure or “erratic lane position.”

That’s compared with researchers’ closed-course evaluations, which mostly yielded predictable results. Even so, the systems ran into trouble (literally) on the test track when approaching simulated disabled vehicles — resulting in a collision nearly two-thirds of the time at 25 mph, reducing speed by just 5 mph before impact.

The Cars

Research vehicles spanned a slate of leading semi-autonomous driver assist systems, including a 2019 BMW X7 with Active Driving Assistant Professional, a 2019 Cadillac CT6 with Super Cruise, a 2019 Ford Edge with Ford Co-Pilot360, a 2020 Kia Telluride with Highway Driving Assist and a 2020 Subaru Outback with the EyeSight suite. No passenger car in the U.S. currently is rated higher than Level 2 on SAE International’s six-tier scale, which ranges from Level 0 (no autonomy) up to Level 5 (full automation).

The Takeaway

Based on the study’s findings, AAA recommended manufacturers increase the scope of testing for active driver assist systems and limit their rollout until functionality is improved. The organization noted that just 12% of drivers surveyed for this year said they would feel comfortable riding in a fully self-driving car, and that any perceived problems with these foundational technologies could hamper the adoption of full automation.

More From Cars.com:

• Newer Technology + Older Motorists = Distracted Driving Danger
• You Complain That Your Commute Is Killing You … But It Really Could
• AAA: Synthetic Oil Outperforms the Cheap Stuff
• AAA: Majority of Motorists Mistrust Mechanics
• More Self-Driving Car Coverage

The Future

“Active driving assistance systems are designed to assist the driver and help make the roads safer, but the fact is, these systems are in the early stages of their development,” Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering and industry relations, said in a statement. “With the number of issues we experienced in testing, it is unclear how these systems enhance the driving experience in their current form. In the long run, a bad experience with current technology may set back public acceptance of more fully automated vehicles in the future.”

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.