New figures from the research firm Kantar Sifo show that almost one in three drivers turns off adaptive cruise control. Even more turn off lane assist.
A new study shows that almost one in three drivers deactivates the adaptive cruise control in their car.
The study, conducted by Kantar Sifo for Folksam, reveals a growing trend: drivers are opting out of using advanced assistance systems designed to increase road safety.
Driver assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keep assist are standard in many new cars. These systems can help prevent accidents by alerting the driver to potential hazards and, in some cases, even intervening to correct the lane.
However, the study shows that a significant proportion of drivers choose to turn these systems off. 29 percent of those surveyed deactivate lane assist, while 26 percent do not use adaptive cruise control. 16 percent even turn off the more advanced active lane assist.
There are differences between men and women's reasons for deactivating the systems. Men more often cite lack of driving experience as the reason, while women more often refer to lack of knowledge about how the systems work.
– To get drivers not to actively turn off the systems, both the level of knowledge and the driving experience must be improved, says Maria Klingegård, traffic researcher at Folksam.
A German study from 2023 confirms the trend. Here too, it is seen that many drivers choose to deactivate the assistance systems.
It's enough that the system warned unnecessarily or grabbed the steering wheel once or twice for the car owner to turn it off forever, says Benedikt Holzmann, a researcher at the University of Kempten.
The results of the studies raise the question of how best to inform drivers about the correct use of assistance systems.
It is crucial that drivers understand how the systems work and what benefits they offer so that they can be used effectively to increase road safety.
If one in three drivers continues to choose to deactivate these potentially life-saving systems, a valuable opportunity to improve road safety is being missed, the people behind the study believe.
However, other studies have repeatedly shown that drivers rely on technology to take over for them. But that is not always the case.
Boosted has been able to report several accidents caused by drivers who thought their cars were self-driving, for example with adaptive cruise control turned on.
