Adaptive Cruise Control May Be a Gateway to Speeding, IIHS Study Shows
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) automatically adjusts vehicle speeds to help vehicles maintain a safe following distance and avoid speeding. It is a more advanced version of regular cruise control because it uses sensors to help vehicles maintain safe lane positioning and distances from the vehicle ahead. As a result, research indicates that ACC could lower the risk of car crashes and potentially reduce the frequency of passing and other lane changes.
Drivers who use ACC experience a consistent, steady speed because its technologies help monitor other vehicles on the road. Although safety is a key selling feature of adaptive cruise control, a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals a serious downfall.
The IIHS conducted a study on ACC and found that drivers are using adaptive cruise control “as a tool for speeding, possibly undermining the feature’s potential safety benefits.” The study further finds that “drivers are substantially more likely to speed when using ACC or partial automation that combines that features with lane centering than when not using either technology.”
Interestingly enough, drivers reportedly tend to choose a speed that’s over the limit when selecting their ACC speed. But ACC systems don’t prohibit drivers from doing so, creating higher risks for speeding. Although drivers must be alert and aware at all times despite using ACC, that doesn’t rule out the possibility that they could be speeding. In other words, drivers can be cautious and constantly supervise their ACC but still speed.
Consequences for Speeding in NY
In New York, you could get a speeding ticket regardless of your adaptive cruise control settings. Whether your ACC system is activated or not, you should still exercise great caution while driving, nonetheless. Safe driving technologies will continuously evolve over the years, and no matter how advanced they get, you are ultimately in control of your driving speed.
As such, you should not argue that your ACC malfunctioned to defend your speeding ticket. It won’t matter to a judge or police officer. The bottom line is you could pay a pretty penny for your ticket, suffer points added to your driving record, and potentially lose your license. In serious cases, you could go to jail for speeding. With this in mind, don’t rely on your ACC system to do the work for you. As a driver, you must be safe and alert, even if with your ACC activated.
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