Finds Big Benefits in Embracing Vehicle Safety Tech

Alerting drivers to potential threats through "driver-assist" warning systems has been shown to reduce the odds of a crash. Using cameras or radar, each tool detects potentially dangerous anomalies, such as drifting from a lane, and alerts drivers to the threat. A study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers published in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention lays out the costs and benefits of three driver-assist technologies: blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and forward collision warning. The researchers find that, if these warning systems were installed on all cars in the US, the resulting reduction in crashes would put a lot of money back into consumers' pockets. "We don't have to wait for a future with fully self-driving cars to realize a lot of the benefits of sensing and automation," said Corey Harper, a presidential postdoctoral fellow in Civil and Environmental Engineering , who led the research. "A lot of crashes can be avoided with today's tech." However, none of these safety systems are widely adopted, nor are they standard on all new vehicles. The researchers found that, if these warning systems were installed on all cars in the United States, the resulting reduction in crashes could create a net benefit of more than $20 billion annually and prevent 1.6 million crashes a year, including 7,200 fatal crashes.