It’s wonderful to know that cars are now able to detect and respond to foreign objects being too close to the vehicle. We’ve all seen the commercials where an unsuspecting pedestrian is distracted and walks right into the path of a fancy new electric car. But, are those pedestrian detecting electric cars actually doing any good? Car accident attorneys are seeing a rise in accidents involving electric cars.
Consumer Report Studies on Electric Cars
The goal of most vehicle manufacturers in this day is not to boost cars up with more technology for the driver. Instead, they’re looking out for pedestrians. The earbud wearing college students, the chatty high schoolers, or the playful child are the people that manufacturers understand they must protect.
Recently, an IIHS study shows they’ve made substantial strides. Of 19 tested models, seven vehicles scored as “advanced” in pedestrian safety, and six scored exceptionally well as “superior.” The goal of protecting pedestrians, however, is not the same as improving road safety. Consumer Reports studies are often used to identify the alignment between an industry’s goals and its actual performance. When it comes to protecting pedestrians, they’re doing well. But these same electric cars might be bringing in more crashes.
Is 40% a Big Difference?
An insurance company in France identified that electric cars equipped with all sorts of odds and ends are 40% more likely to crash. The outlying factor, however, was that the cars more likely to crash specifically included the models inspired by muscle-cars. The American muscle muse is not something that fits well with the electric car abelites. Because on the other end of the spectrum, smaller and less sporty battery-powered vehicles were less likely to be part of a crash.
The 40% factor is a big difference, but there are some questions that arise out of this situation. First, is it the driver? Second, is the technology not right for these vehicles? Finally, is it a hot rod problem?
When looking at these factors, it becomes clear that there is a style of driving that is inherently more dangerous. But, when you pair an aggressive driving style with technology that should dampen the ability to drive aggressively, you have a bad mix.
Technology and Driving Methods
Aggressive drivers take great pride in their ability to make quick decisions, react immediately, and have reasonable judgment. These are all things that technology doesn’t quite do yet. Tech does make decisions based on predetermined programming. It’s the old question, “Can a machine choose to make a choice?” Then you have the reaction time, the machine must run through, albeit, at lightning speed, a series of possibilities whereas humans should make the safest choice possible based on past experience within a smaller range of time.
Finally, there’s the issue of judgment. When it comes to identifying a pedestrian versus maybe a trashcan, a machine can’t do that. If a driver were to see a trashcan and were traveling too fast to avoid it, they would hit the trashcan. But, with pedestrian detection, the vehicle wouldn’t know that the object wasn’t a person. It would force a quick and likely unsafe stop.
These are the accidents and concerns that many people are looking at now. With the rise of electric cars, the question is quickly becoming, are some aspects of this technology unsafe for the driver?
Electric Cars May Not Do a Good Job Accommodating Driving Styles
Clearly, the benefit of fewer pedestrian deaths is not up for debate. It’s a good thing. But manufacturers need to consider which models can carry this type of technology safely given the style of the driver. If particular styles of driving are unsafe, then it may be on the manufacturers to curb that aspect of vehicle ownership.
Hot rods and muscle cars simply aren’t driven the same way that someone would drive a Prius. Considering these factors may play a role in the furthered developments of electric cars.
Contact The Weinstein Firm for Car Accident Lawyers in Atlanta
There’s nothing so serious as a pedestrian accident. If you were walking and then hit by a car, or if you were in a crash because of a pedestrian and an electric car, then you have a complex situation on your hands. An electric car could have any number of features that can prevent, or unintentionally cause accidents. There’s no knowing what these new cars with their new abilities can do.
After a crash, you need an Atlanta car accident lawyer. Contact our skilled personal injury law firm in Georgia to meet with a lawyer right away and set up a consultation. With a consultation, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about your options for seeking compensation.
