Should You Really Let Your “Self-Driving” Car Drive Itself

Many auto manufacturers tout the latest technology in their vehicles that allows the driver to feel comfortable in letting the car do the driving.  This driver assist technology is often promoted by manufacturers as self-driving technology and consumers buy into the technology, however, the truth is in the details.  Currently on the road there are no truly autonomous vehicles that can drive themselves without any driver intervention.  If you are not paying full attention while driving in driver assist modes you could be putting yourself at grave risk of a New Haven auto accident even with the tech to support you.

The first thing to understand as the driver of a new vehicle that has driver assist technologies as part of it’s trim package is that this technology is truly designed to assist you in your ability to stay safe on the road.  The driver should not treat this technology as  something that can relieve her/him of the duties of being the driver of a vehicle.  When you are behind the wheel of one of these vehicles you should treat it no differently than if you were behind the wheel of a vehicle that didn’t have these technologies built in.  Therefore, you should consider the following safety protocols when driving, even with driver assist technology available and in use.

1.) Keep your hands firmly on the steering wheel at all times.  It can be tempting to let the technology keep you in a lane while on the highway, especially in the event that you are tired and need a break, but truthfully, lane-assist technology is meant to be just that, it’s meant to give you an assist in staying in your lane, it is not meant as the only source of safety when you’re behind the wheel.

2.) Always have your eyes focused on the road.  Distracted driving is a huge problem when driving a car without any driver assist technology, but it’s an even bigger problem in vehicles that do have this tech because drivers often think that they can take their eyes off the road ahead of them without any consequences.  This is simply not true.  Distracted driving is a problem whether you have technology help or not.

3.) Pay attention to speed limits and always drive within them.  With technology you can set your speed and forget it, which can be very helpful, but it can also entice you to set it too high, knowing that the tech will keep you a safe distance from the vehicles in front of you.  Whether you’re driving at high speeds in cruise control or not excessive speeds can lead to bad outcomes, including death.  Keeping a safe speed and distance from the vehicles around you will keep you and your passengers safe.

There are some really positive things to say about “self driving” technology that exists today and maybe one day we will get to a point where vehicles are driving themselves and you don’t have to worry about the things listed above, but we are not there yet.  When you’re driving a vehicle today, you should continue to pay attention and keep your speeds low so you can avoid a New Haven auto accident even with the technology assist.  If a car dealership tells you that a car is self-driving, don’t believe them, because that tech is not for sale on any vehicle right now.  Maybe in the future, but today it doesn’t exist.

If you do get injured behind the wheel of your vehicle, whether you’re using driver assist tech or not you may need to speak to an experienced attorney.  Contact our office and one of our attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.