Many people have no idea what their cars can and can’t do. That confusion is clouding the debate about who is responsible when there’s a crash.
The relatively recent introduction of semi-autonomous technology in cars has led to all sorts of documented bad behavior, from folks putting water bottles on their steering wheel to drivers letting Jesus take the wheel as they climb into another seat. The former can trick a car into thinking a driver’s hands are where they should be; the latter is wildly dangerous.
As the industry puts more semi-autonomous tech into the hands of the American public, there is a growing need for better driver education and marketing standards that push automakers to clearly explain systems without overpromising. Solving these problems will only become more urgent as more advanced vehicles that actually can drive themselves under certain circumstances begin sharing the road and the marketplace with cars that have much less capability.
Read the article at Car and Driver.