Educating consumers key to more automation

Educating consumers about their vehicles' advanced driver-assistance systems is a key step in the industry's effort to safely bring higher levels of automation to the market.

One way to get there could be as simple as knowing what to call these systems. For instance, is it "lane centering" or "lane keeping"?

Industry experts say if automakers start using common terms to describe components of their driver-assist systems, consumers would be more likely to understand the systems' capabilities and limitations. Currently, automakers use different brand names for their proprietary offerings.

Bryan Reimer, a research scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says creating this type of dictionary will help consumers in the purchase process and when they are driving.

"If we can't communicate about what a system is and what a system is not, it's very difficult for consumers to delineate what they're buying and using and adequately adapt to those technologies we want them to use on the road in an appropriate way," Reimer told Automotive News. Common nomenclature is "a precursor to successfully communicating about higher-level automation systems," he noted.

When consumers aren't educated enough about the systems, they might turn off the automation that was designed to keep them safer or expect too much from the features — both choices that could lead to crashes.

Kelly Funkhouser, manager of vehicle technology for Consumer Reports, is helping lead an initiative to create standardized advanced driver-assistance system terminology. AAA, J.D. Power, the National Safety Council, SAE International and Partners for Automated Vehicle Education are also part of this effort.

"One of the goals is to have clear understanding for consumers so they don't shut it off if something unexpected happens," Funkhouser said.

"We've noticed from surveys from members and other sources the nuances in how systems behave across the market can create confusion," Funkhouser said. Consumers think "my system isn't as good as someone else's I see on a commercial, or maybe mine's broken. We want to make sure consumers know what they're getting before they buy it."

The organizations in November 2019 published a glossary called "Clearing the Confusion" that lists nomenclature in the areas of collision warning, collision intervention, driver control assistance, parking assistance and other driving-assistance programs. They hope to publish an updated glossary by year end.

Funkhouser says the next big goal for the group, known informally as the Clearing the Confusion Initiative, is to get more organizations, manufacturers and NHTSA involved.

The goal is not to eliminate automakers' branding, but to make sure the components of those marketing names are easy to understand.

She said that starting next week, a new representative from another automotive industry group will start working with the initiative.

With driver-assistance features, drivers must understand as best as possible what the assistance level is going to be, said Mark Chung, vice president of roadway practice for the National Safety Council.

"If there's a misunderstanding, there could be catastrophic consequences."

SAE's scale of vehicle automation ranges from 0 (no automation) to 5 (self-driving). The highest level available on vehicles for sale to general consumers in the U.S. is Level 2.

Tara Andringa, executive director of Washington-based Partners for Automated Vehicle Education — a coalition of nonprofits and academic organizations dedicated to educating the public about automated vehicles — says consumers don't need to learn SAE's automation level structure. But they do need to know how the technologies in the levels operate, and that they don't mean drivers can sit back and watch.

"There's impressive technology, but everything today requires an attentive driver in control of the vehicle," she said. "We need to make sure people understand the importance of this."

With driver-assistance features, drivers must understand as best as possible what the assistance level is going to be, said Mark Chung, vice president of roadway practice for the National Safety Council. 
“If there’s a misunderstanding, there could be catastrophic consequences.”