Driver assistance systems and accident risk

Among the driver support systems that are on the market today, many are already widely used and were found in empirical studies to reduce the accident risk. Increasing uptake of driver support systems can therefore be expected to improve road safety. However, some systems may adversely affect driver behavior. For example, drivers may rely too much on the systems, and they may become more inattentive or disengage from driving altogether. The systems themselves can also be distracting. Such effects can be expected to be strongest when drivers are relieved of basic driving tasks such as keeping speed and lateral positioning. The overall effect of more and more cars having increasingly advanced driver assistance systems will therefore probably be less than one might expect based on how the individual systems work.