The Unmet Expectations of Autonomous Vehicles: Human Intervention Required Every 9 Minutes
Autonomous cars were presented as the revolution that would free us from the steering wheel. However, the reality is more complex. ADAS systems – increasingly widespread and mandatory in new vehicles – provide convenience, but do not guarantee total autonomy. A recent study in the US shows that drivers must remain alert: on average, intervention is necessary every 9 minutes to avoid risks, reminding us that the future has not yet arrived completely.
An experiment on real highways
The study tested five level 2 ADAS vehicles in one of the most demanding environments: Los Angeles highways during rush hour. After 16 hours of testing and over 550 kilometers traveled, the cars showed that assisted driving still requires constant supervision.
Every 9 minutes, a problem
The analysis revealed that, on average, every 9.1 minutes – about 5 kilometers – a situation arose that required the driver to take control. Among the most common were sudden lane invasions by other vehicles and the systems’ inability to stay centered on curves. In addition, there were documented cases of insufficient braking or failures to resume driving after a complete stop.
Source: Trendencias
