Americans confused by safety technology?

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akirk
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Location: Bristol

Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby akirk » Wed Oct 07, 2015 7:20 pm

http://triblive.com/business/headlines/ ... z3nuYuoNqi

WASHINGTON — Many Americans buying new cars these days are baffled by a torrent of new safety technology.
...
A study by the foundation of early safety technology adopters found that some drivers believed collision warning systems would brake to stop their vehicles for them, when actually the systems only alert drivers to an impending collision. It's still up to the driver to hit the brakes.
...
Owner's manuals are also falling short, safety advocates say. They have become “documents written by lawyers for lawyers,” said Clarence Ditlow, executive director at the Center for Auto Safety.

“From perhaps a 50-page understandable document 20 years ago, they have gone to a 500-page opus that is intimidating to all but the most studious car buyer,”


I wonder how much difference there is across various markets?
I suspect that many on here might feel that some of this technology is disenfranchising the driver, and training is a better option - perhaps fewer people (including the manufacturer) might realise that it could add dangers...

Alasdair

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jont-
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Location: Herefordshire

Re: Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby jont- » Wed Oct 07, 2015 7:27 pm

Are they required to wear seatbelts yet, or is that still a per-state thing?

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Mr Cholmondeley-Warner
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Location: Swindon

Re: Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby Mr Cholmondeley-Warner » Wed Oct 07, 2015 7:34 pm

Go Mrs Kraemer! :mrgreen:
Nick

Pyrolol
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Location: San Francisco

Re: Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby Pyrolol » Wed Oct 07, 2015 7:53 pm

If you set your survey up correctly you can find anything you want...

sussex2
Posts: 732
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:43 am

Re: Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby sussex2 » Thu Oct 08, 2015 7:00 am

akirk wrote:http://triblive.com/business/headlines/9220162-74/safety-drivers-features#axzz3nuYuoNqi

WASHINGTON — Many Americans buying new cars these days are baffled by a torrent of new safety technology.
...
A study by the foundation of early safety technology adopters found that some drivers believed collision warning systems would brake to stop their vehicles for them, when actually the systems only alert drivers to an impending collision. It's still up to the driver to hit the brakes.
...
Owner's manuals are also falling short, safety advocates say. They have become “documents written by lawyers for lawyers,” said Clarence Ditlow, executive director at the Center for Auto Safety.

“From perhaps a 50-page understandable document 20 years ago, they have gone to a 500-page opus that is intimidating to all but the most studious car buyer,”


I wonder how much difference there is across various markets?
I suspect that many on here might feel that some of this technology is disenfranchising the driver, and training is a better option - perhaps fewer people (including the manufacturer) might realise that it could add dangers...

Alasdair


The handbook for my soon to be 15 years old MX5 is full of legal gobbledegook and very little actual information; not that such a simple car needs much instruction I suppose.
It is not an import so the book and the car are both UK market.
A Spanish market Ford has a much more to the point, and more useful, book with much less legal faffing. It is a more complicated car of course.
Our Citroen van also UK market has very little legal language and reads like the manual for an Airbus! I still can't fathom how to adjust some things :)

kfae8959
Posts: 182
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2015 12:36 pm

Re: Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby kfae8959 » Thu Oct 15, 2015 11:21 am

jont- wrote:Are they required to wear seatbelts yet, or is that still a per-state thing?


It's not a requirement of Federal law, so it's up to states.

David

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jont-
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Location: Herefordshire

Re: Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby jont- » Thu Oct 15, 2015 11:26 am

sussex2 wrote:The handbook for my soon to be 15 years old MX5 is full of legal gobbledegook and very little actual information; not that such a simple car needs much instruction I suppose.
It is not an import so the book and the car are both UK market.
A Spanish market Ford has a much more to the point, and more useful, book with much less legal faffing. It is a more complicated car of course.
Our Citroen van also UK market has very little legal language and reads like the manual for an Airbus! I still can't fathom how to adjust some things :)

I think my Caterham has a build manual rather than a handbook :D

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ChristianAB
Posts: 270
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Re: Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby ChristianAB » Sun Oct 18, 2015 9:01 pm

I love this story. Not that I am in any way surprised at all. After all, the only way to know if your car will brake for you is to drive towards an obstacle, not brake, and see the results...if you are still alive, that is.

TheInsanity1234
Posts: 544
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2015 8:03 pm

Re: Americans confused by safety technology?

Postby TheInsanity1234 » Sun Oct 18, 2015 9:38 pm

Are Americans ever not confused by something?

They're confused by the concept of love in relation to marriage, they're confused by the concept of gun control, they're confused by the concept of public-funded healthcare.

They're basically confused by everything that theoretically makes a country a good place to live...

*dons flameproof suit*


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