Some technological advancements in automotive engineering have certainly made cars safer than they used to be. There is no doubt that airbags save lives and backup cameras help people avoid accidents.
However, experts do warn that all technology, as helpful as it may be, does not make people safer. In some cases, all of the new tech that gets crammed into modern cars may raise risks on the road.
The issue is that it gives drivers plenty of distractions. These distractions can and do lead to accidents.
After all, this new tech tends to be fairly complex. Some cars have writing pads, voice commands, touch screens, heads-up displays — like the HUD systems used in fighter jets — that project on the windshield and much more. Even your basic steering wheel is no longer just a round wheel with a lever for the windshield wipers. Some have 50 different buttons built right into them, on the front and the back.
Granted, some technology replaces more dangerous versions. It may be better for a driver to look at a built-in GPS than trying to hold his or her phone and look at it while driving. But that does not mean that using a GPS system while driving is not a distraction, as it may be better for drivers to simply learn and memorize their routes before leaving the house.
Any time a driver looks away from the road, even for a second, an accident becomes more likely. Those who get hurt in these crashes need to know all of the legal options they have to seek financial compensation.
Source: AP News, “New cars increasingly crammed with distracting technology,” Joan Lowy, accessed May 18, 2018