Flaws in a pedestrian crash avoidance system

A vehicle’s pedestrian crash avoidance system cannot and should never be used in place of your experienced driving skills on any road in Colorado. An activity as complex as driving is best performed with both an automated computer and a human driver.

Problems with technology

A pedestrian crash avoidance mitigation, or PCAM, system includes automated computers and technology designed to identify obstacles on the road and reduce the risks of accidents. Built-in sensors are programmed to identify other vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles in your path and alert you when it’s time to move out of the way.

Computer systems are programmed to make decisions based on the information they already have. However, technology is not capable of making complex, highly accurate decisions like humans are. Pedestrian crash avoidance systems are more likely to make estimated guesses due to the lack of the ability to make accurate decisions. For instance, driving too closely to another vehicle may trigger the automatic emergency brakes.

Proven defects in the system

Statistics indicate that motor vehicle accidents are lower in cars equipped with PCAM systems. But the system’s technology is less capable of detecting obstacles at night when thousands of crashes occur. The crash investigations included reviews of numerous factors, such as the driver’s speed, the degree of turns, the road conditions and the amount of lighting on the road. As a result, the nighttime track test was developed to evaluate the safety of automated vehicle systems.

When computers make mistakes

A pedestrian crash avoidance mitigation system is supposed to assist drivers if they become too distracted on the road. But according to numerous crash studies, a computer system will make errors while handling the complexities of driving.

Category:

• Car Accidents