A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has revealed that most American drivers are open to technology that could prevent speeding in their vehicles. The survey, which involved over 1,800 U.S. drivers, examined three types of intelligent speed assistance (ISA) technology.
The first type of ISA would emit an audible warning or “beep” when a vehicle exceeds the speed limit or surpasses it by a certain amount. The second type would provide “accelerator feedback,” making it more difficult to press down on the gas pedal while driving at high speeds. The third type would limit engine power to prevent drivers from going too fast.
The survey measured driver acceptance towards each type of technology. Sixty-four percent of respondents found an audible warning acceptable, 50% found accelerator feedback acceptable, and 52% found restricted acceleration acceptable.
IIHS President David Harkey commented on these findings, stating that they suggest American drivers are willing to make changes to their driving habits for road safety purposes. Despite the presence of anti-speeding technology in some U.S. vehicles, the IIHS is considering making this technology standard in new vehicles while also providing drivers with the option to turn it off if desired.
Respondents were more willing to accept ISA technology if it had a 10 mile-per-hour tolerance before activating. The IIHS believes that U.S. drivers may be more open to adopting a system that allows higher tolerance on highways but lower thresholds in areas like school zones or neighborhoods with pedestrians and bicyclists.
Overall, this survey highlights that American drivers may be more receptive to adopting technology that can improve road safety than previously assumed, even in a car-centric culture like the United States’ where there is often resistance to speed restrictions in vehicles.
In conclusion, the survey results suggest that American drivers are open to using ISA technology as long as it’s designed appropriately and offers flexibility in terms of tolerances for different driving conditions and areas.
