Canadians unaware of dangers of drinking, sleeping in self-driving cars: study
[Googles Lexus RX 450H Self Driving Car is seen parked on Pennsylvania Ave. on April 23, 2014 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)]
With an A.I. driver at the helm, some Canadians say that would free them up to drink a beer or catch up on some shut-eye.
According to a survey about self-driving vehicles by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, a non-profit road safety organization, nine per cent of participants said they would drink alcohol, ten per cent said they would sleep or nap, 17 per cent said they would do other activities and 24 per cent said they would drive while tired or fatigued.
“These results are disturbing and illustrated that at least some drivers mistakenly believe that these vehicle technologies do not require driver input or attention at all times,” the organization wrote in the paper, which was released Thursday.
[Traffic Injury Research Foundation]
The figures are perhaps unsurprising given the amount of research that shows that Canadians are already getting behind the wheel while impaired or tired.
A 2011 study by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation found that 5.4 per cent of Canadians reported driving when they believed they were over the legal limit in the past year. A 2004 survey also found that 12 per cent of drivers had gotten behind the wheel of a car within an hour of having two or more alcoholic drinks.
Furthermore, Canada ranked No.1 among 19 wealthy countries for percentage of motor vehicle deaths related to impaired driving.
A 2005 study also found that one in five drivers fell asleep while driving in the past year.
While autonomous vehicles are designed to make commuting safer, as human error is responsible for an overwhelming majority of crashes, TIRF stressed that drivers are “still necessary” and that they need to pay attention.
“These findings underscored that drivers are not aware of their continued role in the safety equation as these vehicles become available,” Robyn Robertson, president and CEO of TIRF and lead researcher on the study, said in a press release.
“Such misperceptions have real potential to negatively affect driver behaviour and result in either unintentional misuse or abuse of technologies that are able to assist drivers, but not replace them.”
With self-driving technology being tested by tech giants such as Google, Uber, Tesla, and major car manufacturers, widespread autonomous vehicle ownership likely isn’t too far away.
In fact, a projection by Business Insider anticipates that there will be as many as 10 million on roads by 2020.
However, Stephen Beatty, corporate vice-president of Toyota Canada Inc., cautioned that Canadians need to be aware that the technology does not mean that people can take a nap in the back seat.
“Our view is that advanced activity safety technology is meant to enhance a driver’s control of their vehicle, but that it is not a replacement for a knowledgeable and attentive driver,” said Beatty in a press release.
“This study tells us that we, as an industry, still have lots of work to do when it comes to educating drivers about the capabilities and limitations of the technology.”
The report was financed by the Toyota Canada Foundation.
In addition to those who said they would use the opportunity of being in a self-driving car to have a drink or rest, 35 per cent of participants said they would disengage the technology to drive faster, and another 13 per cent said they would do so in order to run red lights.
Authors of the study stressed that this was “problematic” as past research has shown that speed is a “key factor” in accidents, and those involved in these types of crashes are more likely to be seriously injured or killed.
“This clear desire, among at least some drivers to turn off automated features and take over driving in order to engage in risky behaviours that are unsafe not only for drivers but for other road users they may encounter, is quite concerning,” said the report.
The TIRF advised the government to play an active role in regulating under what conditions drivers can turn off autonomous-vehicle technology.