Most car manufacturers advertise the benefits of the safety features on their new vehicles. However, is the lane-keeping technology on your late-model vehicle sufficient enough to help prevent you from getting into a motor vehicle accident in Georgia?
Which manufacturers have the best lane-keeping technology?
Although driver-assist features are supposed to prevent owners from becoming involved in motor vehicle accidents, some technologies are better than others. The manufacturers with the best lane-keeping assist technologies are Tesla, Cadillac, Hyundai, and Volvo, according to a survey of Consumer Reports members conducted in 2020. Honda, Ford, Volkswagen, and Lincoln are at the bottom of the rankings.
Drivers buying late-model cars with lane-keeping assist will find two types of systems: intermittent and sustained lane keeping. The first intervene when your vehicle approaches or crosses a lane marker or road edge. It may only be available above a certain speed, making it difficult to know when it works. Sustained lane-keeping technologies continuously monitor a vehicle’s position on the road. They are most often packaged with adaptive cruise control technologies, which end up automating much of highway driving.
Although most drivers are satisfied with their lane-keeping assist systems, consumers indicate that their satisfaction lags behind that of other driver-assistance technologies such as automatic emergency braking and blind-spot warning. While lane-keeping systems hold promise, there is no guarantee that they will keep you safe on the road.
Why you should not rely fully on driver-assist technologies
Manufacturers note that even with their driver-assistance technologies, you should always pay attention to traffic laws and be aware of your surroundings. Therefore, you could still face liability for an accident even if you have a whole host of driver-assistance technologies in your vehicle.
You may not be able to claim that failure of a driver-assistance technology such as lane-keeping assist is responsible for a motor vehicle accident and any resulting injuries. The best tactic, in all driving circumstances, is to continue to drive defensively.
