Ever-flashing screens, doom scrolling, message chimes, online auction notifications—we live in a world of distractions. Of course, we can easily mute notifications or unplug the device if we’re feeling bold. But…nah. So, it’s no surprise that new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety confirms as much.
According to the IIHS, once advanced driver-assistance systems come into play, drivers become less involved in driving and more distracted. Hands-on or hands-free, the level of automation doesn’t matter. People will freely multitask by checking devices, eating, or grooming. Many inadvertently do so, perhaps by habit or restlessness.
ADAS features are meant to support safer driving practices; however, by relieving the driver of some visual or manual responsibilities, sometimes you get used to it and maybe even become lazy. And that’s when boredom or a nervous twitch might begin to creep in. But there are also drivers who game the system, faking their alertness to convince ADAS to remain active while they do other things they feel are more important than looking up.
During a month-long study conducted by the IIHS and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s AgeLab, Volvo drivers using Pilot Assist were more likely to multitask. Some showed distractive behaviors from the start, while others engaged in similar habits once they became more comfortable with the technology.
The same was true in the second study using the Tesla Autopilot system. Once the drivers figured out the timing interval of the attention checker, they were able to minimize the Tesla‘s warnings. Kind of like faking your video conference attendance or using a plug-in so you remain active during work from home days when you’re actually elsewhere.
“In both these studies, drivers adapted their behavior to engage in distracting activities,” said David Harkey, president of IIHS. “This demonstrates why partial automation systems need more robust safeguards to prevent misuse.”
The participants for both studies were volunteers, and the IIHS provided the vehicles—in this case, a 2017 Volvo S90 sedan and a 2020 Tesla Model 3. The volunteers had not driven the vehicles before.
“These results are a good reminder of the way people learn,” said Harkey. “If you train them to think that paying attention means nudging the steering wheel every few seconds, then that’s exactly what they’ll do.”
Research shows distracted driving, sleepiness, and insobriety lead to the same thing: a higher risk of being involved in a crash. If you’re not looking ahead, then you’re ill-prepared to make literal life-or-death decisions while behind the wheel. Are we better off without the self-driving stuff, even if it is only partially autonomous? We’re not programmed to multitask, no matter how much we try to convince ourselves.