Survey Finds Drivers Want More Technological Assistance When Driving

DEARBORN, Mich. - Nearly nine in 10 drivers are interested in alert and assist technologies. According to a new Ford survey Drivers acknowledge their limitations: Nearly 50 percent have fallen asleep while driving or know someone who has; nearly six in 10 blame blind spots for accidents or near collisions; and nearly four in 10 of those surveyed fear parallel parking.

Recently, leading market research firm Penn Schoen Berland conducted the survey of American drivers over the age of 18 to learn more about their attitudes toward driver assist technology. The survey found that the vast majority of drivers are interested in getting some extra assist features in their next vehicle to help them avoid potential accidents.

"We found the drivers we talked to were definitely inclined toward features that provided real practical benefits by alerting them to potentially hazardous situations they may have missed," said Billy Mann, managing director of Penn Schoen Berland. "For them, assistance features that increase awareness ranked high among their priorities."

Even under ideal daytime conditions on a dry road, traffic can suddenly slow or someone can slip into the gap between you and the car ahead. When the sun goes down or the clouds open up, it gets harder to judge what a suitable following distance might be. Nearly nine out of 10 of the survey respondents expressed interest in technology that could assist in slowing their car if it determines there is a potential collision ahead. Two-thirds of the drivers who participated in the survey indicated they would be interested in systems that can help them see around other vehicles while backing out of a parking space and detect other vehicles that might be in a blind spot over their shoulders.

"Basic transportation has long been the dominant style in the midsize family sedan segment," said Amy Marentic, Ford Group Marketing manager. "This survey shows that as consumers have become accustomed to using electronic assistants in other aspects of life, they are increasingly recognizing how technology can help them cope with the stresses of driving."

Fatigue or inattentiveness can lead to a car drifting out of its lane and eight in 10 of the surveyed drivers expressed interest in a system that could provide an alert or even help to keep the vehicle in the lane.

"With the emergence of sensor-packed smartphones over the past several years, consumers have become accustomed to using their electronic gadgets to realize real-world benefits such as finding their way in unfamiliar places, figuring out the best place to grab a meal and track their exercise," said Sheryl Connelly, Ford manager of Global Trends and Futuring. "Advanced driver assistance features bring those benefits to the driving experience by extending the driver's senses beyond the car."

While respondents almost universally consider themselves to be safe behind the wheel, the majority also acknowledge that they engage in other activities when they are behind the wheel. Three-quarters admit to eating or drinking behind the wheel and more than half have exceeded the speed limit or used a hand-held mobile phone. Eighty-three percent admit that either they or someone they know has driven when very tired.

Adult American drivers are self-aware enough to recognize the flaws in their own driving habits and express interest in technological aids. "We see the driver as always being at the center of control of the vehicle," said Randy Visintainer, director of Ford Research and Innovation. "With improvements in sensing and control technologies, we can now provide unprecedented levels of assistance to drivers."

While understanding it is critical that drivers always retain full control of their vehicle, Ford engineers recognize there will always be situations where they can use some help, says Visintainer, so they've developed a full suite of driver assistance technologies to help mitigate the risks, many of them showing up in the company's 2013 Ford Fusion line.