Partially automated driver tech creates complacent drivers, study shows

Eyes on the road at all times, please. — Handout/TNS

There are no self-driving cars on sale today. There will not be any self-driving cars on sale tomorrow, no matter what Tesla’s latest Full Self-Driving beta features roll out.

As of right now, Level 2 driver assistance and partially automated technology is as good as it gets, and it still commands drivers to be ready at all times to take back total control.

But according to a new study from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers grow complacent even with the little automation available in cars today. That, my fellow drivers, is not a good thing. Why? Precisely due to the way these systems operate.

As said, on the SAE scale of autonomy where 0 is no automation and 2 handles two tasks at a time, these systems do not cover all driver aspects. If they disengage, the driver absolutely must be ready to retake all controls.