Partially Automated Cars Warrant Widespread Adoption of current safety technologies

by Sherry Stokes,   Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) researchers have concluded the public could gain economic and social benefits if safety-oriented, partially automated vehicle technologies were deployed in all cars.

The researchers came to this conclusion following an examination of forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring systems. These technologies can include partially autonomous braking or controls to help vehicles avoid crashes.

“While there is much discussion about driverless vehicles, we have demonstrated that even with partial automation there are financial and safety benefits,” says Chris T. Hendrickson, director of the Carnegie Mellon Traffic21 Institute. The researchers analyzed the benefits and costs of deploying crash-avoidance technologies in the U.S. light-duty vehicle fleet, and found they could prevent or reduce the severity of up to 1.3 million crashes a year, including 10,100 fatal wrecks.

The researchers analyzed government and insurance industry data to determine if it is economically advantageous to accelerate deployment of these technologies. They say in the perfect-world scenario in which all relevant crashes are avoided with these technologies, there is an annual benefit of $202 billion, or $861 for every car. “This study creates a framework for regulatory action encouraging early deployment of partial automation technologies,” Hendrickson says.  Read the report.