Most automated driving systems are lousy at making sure drivers pay attention, insurance group says

DETROIT (AP) — Most electronic systems that take on some driving tasks for humans don't adequately make sure drivers are paying attention, and they don't issue strong enough warnings or take other actions to make drivers behave, according to an insurance industry study published Tuesday.

Only one of 14 partially automated systems tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performed well enough to get an overall “acceptable” rating. Two others were rated “marginal,” while the rest were rated “poor.” No system received the top rating of “good.”

“Most of them don't include adequate measures to prevent misuse and keep drivers from losing focus on what's happening on the road,” said IIHS President David Harkey.

The institute, Harkey said, came up with the new ratings to get automakers to follow standards, including how closely they watch drivers and how fast the cars issue warnings if drivers aren't paying attention.

It also says it is trying to fill a “regulatory void” left by inaction on the systems from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Harkey said the agency needs to do more to set standards for the systems, which are not able to drive vehicles themselves.

The agency said Tuesday that it welcomes the IIHS research and will review the report.

IIHS safety ratings are closely followed by automakers, which often make changes to comply with them.

The 14 systems, which include several variations from single automakers, are among the most sophisticated now on the market, Harkey said.

Only one of the systems, Teammate in the Lexus LS, earned the adequate rating. General Motors' Super Cruise in the GMC Sierra and Nissan's Pro-Pilot Assist with Navi-Link in the Ariya electric vehicle were rated marginal.

Other systems from Nissan, Tesla, BMW,...