New automotive technologies are rapidly transforming how we drive, offering features like advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), automatic braking, and collision avoidance. These innovations are designed to improve driving safety, reduce accidents, and save lives. However, while they may lower accident rates, these systems don’t always perform flawlessly, and they can also complicate accident claims and liability issues.
Overview of Automotive Technology Advancements
Today’s cars have advanced automotive technology, including new safety features meant to protect drivers, passengers, and even pedestrians. Along with features like rear-view cameras and varying degrees of autonomous vehicles, ADAS help drivers avoid dangerous situations. While the specific features vary among brands and models, an ADAS often includes blind-spot monitoring, automatic braking, and lane departure warnings.
How Technologies Improve Driver Assistance
While rear-view cameras help drivers see obstacles behind them to avoid a crash, newer car technologies included in an ADAS often act automatically to keep drivers safe. The features in these systems often include:
- Blind-Spot Monitoring – This system alerts drivers when another motor vehicle is in their blind spot, helping them avoid side collisions while changing lanes. It uses radar and other sensors to detect objects in areas that are hard for drivers to see.
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) – AEB kicks in when a car detects an impending collision. It automatically applies the brakes to prevent or reduce the impact of a crash. This feature is particularly useful when a driver doesn’t have time to react to a sudden emergency.
- Lane-Departure Warning – This system alerts drivers if they unintentionally drift out of their lane. It uses cameras or sensors to monitor road markings and warn drivers when their vehicle crosses them without signaling.
- Adaptive Cruise Control – This technology adjusts the vehicle’s speed to maintain a safe distance from the car in front. It automatically slows down and speeds up as necessary, making highway driving less stressful (in theory).
- Pedestrian Detection – This system identifies pedestrians and cyclists in a vehicle’s path and alerts the driver. Some pedestrian detection systems automatically apply the brakes if a collision seems imminent.
Potential Risks and Challenges
While ADAS and other new technologies aim to reduce accidents, they can also introduce new risks and challenges. One major concern is that these systems don’t always work as designed. Features like automatic braking or lane-keeping assistance can malfunction, potentially causing accidents instead of preventing them. Furthermore, drivers may over-rely on these systems, assuming they’ll handle all the safety work. This lack of engagement by drivers can lead to more dangerous situations when these new systems fail.
Another challenge is the complexity of these systems. Not all drivers fully understand how ADAS or other new safety features work, leading to confusion or misuse. Some drivers might not know how to respond when a system issues a warning or takes control of the vehicle. Additionally, if an accident occurs due to a system failure, proving who caused the accident can complicate insurance claims and legal cases.
Accidents Prevented by Technology
So, do ADAS and other new features make cars safer? Research is ongoing, but there is some promising news. A recent study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found a 14 percent drop in accident rates among cars with blind-spot warning systems. When researchers focused solely on crashes with injuries, there was a 23 percent decrease in accident rates. While this is just one data point, it suggests that new safety features can reduce the number of accidents.
Can ADAS Cause Car Accidents?
While some evidence supports including advanced safety features in cars, these technologies don’t always work as designed and have caused accidents. Autonomous cars, in particular, have proven dangerous when these systems don’t work correctly. In 2018, a self-driving Uber car struck and killed a pedestrian here in Arizona. Though the car had a human driver behind the wheel when the crash occurred, she didn’t intervene in time to prevent the collision when the car’s automatic pedestrian detection system failed.
Unfortunately, the Uber crash in Arizona is one of hundreds of such incidents across the country. While new technologies undoubtedly have the potential to reduce collisions, it’s clear these systems still need work.
Changing Dynamics of Liability
New safety technologies like automatic braking and lane-keeping assistance can complicate the process of determining liability in a car accident. If a feature like an automatic braking system fails and causes a crash, figuring out who’s responsible isn’t always straightforward. Is the driver liable for not paying attention, or is the automaker at fault for producing a faulty system? The software designer who created the code that controls the vehicle’s response might be liable because the software failed.
These questions can make car accident cases more complex, especially when multiple parties are involved. Injured drivers or passengers may have a more challenging time recovering fair compensation if there’s uncertainty over whether the technology, the driver, or another company should be held responsible.
Adapting Traffic Laws and Regulations
Another issue with the increased availability of automatic safety features in cars is that traffic laws and regulations often lag behind new technology in the automotive industry. Without clear rules to determine the liable parties when accidents occur, victims may have trouble enforcing their rights and recovering fair compensation. States may also adopt different laws, further complicating a legal case after an accident.
Changes in Liability Frameworks and Insurance Policies
Traditional car accidents usually involve holding one or more drivers responsible for the crash. However, when a safety feature like automatic braking or pedestrian detection fails, the responsibility could shift to the automaker, the software developer, or the parts manufacturer. This shift creates new challenges for accident victims trying to prove liability and recover compensation for their losses.
Insurance companies are also adjusting their policies to account for these new technologies. Some may require additional coverage for tech-related failures, while others may try to avoid a car accident claim by shifting blame to the automaker or another third party. As these frameworks shift, victims could face longer, more complex legal battles, making it harder for them to secure fair compensation.
Contact Our Phoenix Car Accident Attorney for Help
If you sustained injuries in a car accident resulting from faulty technology, trust Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer to protect your rights. We understand the additional legal challenges these cases pose and can fight for justice on your behalf. Personal injury cases are all we do, and you don’t owe us any fees unless we recover compensation for your losses. Call us today or complete our contact form for a free personal injury claim review with a Phoenix car accident lawyer.
