Advanced Driving Hub

WASHINGTON — Many Americans buying new cars these days are baffled by a torrent of new safety technology.
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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.
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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,”

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

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

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