Safety systems induce distracted driving

• Two separate studies involving Tesla Autopilot and Volvo Pilot Assist found that drivers misuse partial automation
• The more comfortable drivers get with hands-free driving, the more likely they are to multitask
• The studies support past research from safety agencies on the efficacy of such systems

The more drivers get used to driver-assist technology intended to reduce the frequency and severity of crashes, the more likely they are to engage in distracted driving responsible for many crashes, according to a new study published Tuesday by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS).

This counterintuitive phenomenon is easily explained: the more comfortable we get with a technology, the more likely we are to use it, beyond its intended purpose.

The monthlong study by the IIHS and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s AgeLab examined how users of limited hands-free driving systems, or partial automation, actually used those systems.

Drivers were much more likely to groom, “check their phones, eat a sandwich or do other visual-manual activities,” while using the systems on highways, the study found. The tendency to multitask increased over time as drivers got used to the systems, but the two studies admit some users engages in distracted driving from the onset. 

Volvo’s Pilot Assist and Tesla’s Autopilot features were used in the two separate studies, but those are a small sample size of such partial automation. GM’s Super Cruise ranks as the most sophisticated and safest system on highways, with a driver-monitor  camera that demands the driver’s eyes stay on the road. If a sandwich or phone were to block the camera, the system would demand the driver take over, before eventually pulling the car over itself and activating emergency services.

“In both these studies, drivers adapted their behavior to engage in distracting activities,” IIHS President David Harkey said in a statement. “This demonstrates why partial automation systems need more robust safeguards to prevent misuse.”

Earlier this year, the IIHS reported that the use of driver-assistance systems has no real effect on safety and crash avoidance, going so far as to call partial automation a “convenience feature like power windows or heated seats.”

The IIHS has long advocated for more in-car safety monitoring. In March 2024, it completed testing on semiautonomous driving systems, and found 11 of 14 limited hands-free systems earning the safety agency’s lowest rating of “Poor.” It found the systems too easy to misuse and for drivers to not pay attention to the road. Autopilot in particular was found to confuse drivers into thinking its more capable than in testing and reality.  

Distracted driving has been attributed to a record-high spike in pedestrian fatalities in 2022, which is the last year for complete data. The NHTSA also has campaigned against distracted driving. 

Such limited hands-free driving systems, which includes Ford’s BlueCruise among many others, are technology that bridges Level 2 and Level 3 automated driving levels, according to the SAE. Level 0 has no driving assistance, not even cruise control, while Level 5 can pilot a car from point A to point B without any driver intervention. We’re far from that.