Max Dorfman, Research Writer, Triple-I
As more new vehicles become equipped with crash avoidance features, some owners are reporting significant problems with the technology after repairs, according to a recent report from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS).
In the survey, about half of those who reported a problem with equipped front crash protection, blind spot detection, or rearview or other vision-enhancing cameras said at least one of these systems showed problems after the repair job was completed.
Still, many owners remained eager to have a vehicle with these features and were happy with the out-of-pocket cost, according to Alexandra Mueller, senior researcher at the IIHS.
“These technologies have been shown to reduce crashes and related injuries,”
; Mueller said. “Our aim is for them to continue to deliver these benefits after repairs and for owners to be confident that they are working as they should.”Still, because the problems with these technologies remain, the study notes that tracking repair issues is important to promote the use of crash avoidance features. IIHS research has shown that front crash prevention, blind spot detection, and rearview cameras all significantly reduce the types of crashes they are designed to handle. For example, the IIHS said, automatic emergency braking reduces police-reported rear-end crashes by 50 percent.
An analysis conducted by the IIHS-affiliated Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) found that the reduction in insurance claims associated with Subaru and Honda’s crash avoidance systems remained essentially constant, even in vehicles older than five years. But repairs can require recalibrating the cameras and sensors the features rely on to function properly, making repairs complicated and costly.
For example, a simple windshield replacement can cost as little as $250, while a separate HLDI study found that vehicles equipped with front impact protection were much more likely to have glass claims of $1,000 or more. Much of the higher cost is likely related to calibration.
The new IIHS study found that owners often had more than one reason for needing to repair these safety features. Most had received a vehicle recall or service bulletin about their function, but that was rarely the only reason they brought their vehicles in for service or repair.
“Other common causes — which were not mutually exclusive — included windshield replacement, crash damage, a recommendation from the dealer or repair shop, and a warning light or error message from the vehicle itself,” according to the study.
Repair difficulties can motivate drivers to turn off collision avoidance features, which can make collisions more likely. However, despite post-repair problems, the study found that slightly more than 5 percent of owners would choose not to purchase another vehicle with the repaired feature. As reckless driving and traffic fatalities continue to rise, advanced driver assistance systems will only become more important to road safety, requiring reliable technology.
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