Crash Avoidance Technology Only "Kind of" Works, Says IIHS

The Institute for Highway Safety has concluded a study that shows the crash avoidance technology like blind-spot sensors, forward collision automatic braking, lane-departure warnings, emergency brake assistance and adaptive headlights won't significantly help prevent fatal car crashes and it is mostly due to the drivers. So much for PReVENT. The study shows that the crash-avoidance technology won't be cared about and ignored by the drivers. They technology also causes the drivers to be more reckless and careless while driving.

Blind-spot detection, emergency brake assistance and adaptive headlights were the worst of the crash-avoidance technologies by being able to prevent 428, 3,079 and 2,553 fatal crashes annually. The forward collision with automatic braking and lane-departure warnings did better by being able to prevent 7.166 and 10,345 fatal crashes annually. There is between around 42,000 automobile deaths annually.

The IIHS found these numbers by analyzing all of the crash data from 2002 to 2006 that could be affected by these types of technology and highlighting how many crashes were fatal. Tom Baloga, BMW's vp of engineering said that the IIHS's figures have "significant limitations in accuracy" and adding that as more manufacturers include this technology, the numbers will go up. In other words, he's saying once the non-luxury cars begin including the technology, the figures will change. [USA Today]