The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety(IIHS)has recently voiced significant concerns regarding the efficacy of semi-autonomous driving systems in ensuring driver engagement and preventing misuse.After conducting a series of evaluations,the IIHS has introduced a new ratings program designed to assess the effectiveness of these systems in maintaining driver attention.

　　In their latest testing round,only one out of 14 systems,the 2022-2024 Lexus LS with the Advanced Drive system,received an acceptable rating.The 2023 GMC Sierra with Super Cruise and the 2023-2024 Nissan Ariya equipped with ProPilot Assist were rated marginally.Meanwhile,the majority of the systems tested,including those in vehicles from BMW,Ford,Genesis,another model of Lexus LS,Mercedes-Benz,another configuration of Nissan Ariya,Tesla,and Volvo,received poor ratings.

　　The IIHS evaluates these systems based on several key factors,including how effectively they monitor the driver’s attention and hand position,their ability to issue timely warnings for compliance,and whether the systems discourage or encourage corrective actions by the driver.David Harkey,president of IIHS,expressed skepticism about the safety benefits of these technologies.He pointed out that despite making long drives feel easier,they don’t necessarily enhance overall driving safety and might pose new risks if proper safeguards are not in place.

　　This assessment underscores a crucial issue:despite the allure of terms like‘autopilot’and‘self-driving’used in automakers’marketing,no current vehicle on the market can operate without human oversight.The IIHS is stressing the importance of ensuring that drivers understand how to correctly utilize these features and remain prepared to intervene whenever necessary.