In these pages, we’ve had the occasion to take a critical and sceptical look at the electronic gadgets invading our cars and have already criticised European regulations aiming to improve road safety. In our opinion, however, these regulations risk having the opposite effect. Our view is based on two main factors. Electronic equipment for one has a negative effect on driving ability, leading to increased road safety risks. Secondly, the quality of this equipment is largely insufficient to be fully reliable. For instance, the way cameras work means that in many situations they are unable to read road signs correctly. We have already explained in these columns why these gadgets are ineffective, but we would like to highlight why they are also dangerous.
We base this on ‘phantom braking’ or sudden, unexpected braking that is not requested by the driver. This system has already led to accidents and is most often caused by failures in obstacle detection systems (various sensors, cameras) due to a variety of reasons: poor calibration, damage or simply poor maintenance of sensors, software defects or errors, or malfunctions in automatic braking systems following minor impacts, particularly on the windscreen, etc. The problem potentially affects all car brands equipped with ‘advanced driver assistance systems’ (ADAS). Known examples include Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’, some recalled Honda models, and Nissan. Hundreds of drivers have reported the same type of problem with other brands. According to French reports, this has included Peugeot, Dacia, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Skoda, Renault, BMW, Toyota, etc, to such an extent that certain regulatory authorities (such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA in the United States, the European Road Safety Agency AERIS, the European New Car Assessment Programme Euro NCAP, the French Ministry of Transport and others) have looked into the issue.
Unfortunately, the authorities’ responses are not always swift or effective. To date, Euro NCAP is conducting investigations and monitoring, the European Union is working to strengthen regulations on vehicle approval and certification, and European authorities are sometimes requiring vehicle recalls or software updates, among others. However, these initiatives are largely insufficient given the high risk of accidents for which the regulations should be held responsible.
For the ACL, in the absence of more effective initiatives by the authorities, raising awareness among vehicle owners is essential. Please do not hesitate to inform the ACL of any problems you encounter in this area.
Dr Yves Wagner
President of the Automobile Club of Luxembourg
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