In-vehicle technology popularity rises with each passing day, with most consumers considering it a very important factor when buying a new vehicle. But, it’s the same high-tech features that are constantly added to car dashboards that drivers often have difficulties understanding and using properly, which in many cases leads to creation of various safety risks.
It’s tough for drivers to stay up to speed with every new piece of technology that automakers roll out on a regular basis, with many advanced safety and entertainment features being too complicated to use without prior knowledge of a given technology. In a bid to raise awareness of advanced vehicle safety technologies among drivers, the National Safety Council (NSC) has launched a campaign that is aimed at educating consumers about how to use those technologies.
Safer Driving as the Ultimate Goal
The NSC partnered up with the University of Iowa and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), to create the MyCarDoesWhat campaign, which will inform drivers on how specific advanced safety systems work, so that they can use them properly and help them avoid collisions.
The campaign will educate drivers and the general public through several means, such as brochures, PSAs, and videos. There are numerous safety technologies that drivers are informed on, including:
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Anti-lock braking system
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Lane-departure warning
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Back-up camera
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Blind-spot monitor
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Adaptive cruise control
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Automatic parallel parking
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Adaptive headlights
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Tire-pressure monitoring system
“Our vehicles have technologies that may be capable of saving our lives, but we need to help drivers understand how to use them,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “We are excited to partner with AAMVA because we will have an opportunity to reach drivers before they are even licensed – while they’re at their state’s DMV.”
Preparing Drivers for Autonomous Cars
These types of campaigns can be of great help in preparing drivers for a future where cars are expected to become increasingly automated. Self-driving cars are an imminent reality, and they will be largely based on technologies such as the above-mentioned, so educating the public about how those advanced safety features work is crucial for making sure that vehicle occupants will be able to take advantage of all benefits provided by autonomous driving technologies.