Study shows smart car safety features are failing at preventing collisions

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FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, file photograph, an unsold 2019 S75D sits at a Tesla dealership in Littleton, Colo. Rising trade tensions have sparked worries about the 17 exotic-sounding rare minerals needed for high-tech products like robotics, drones and electric cars. China recently raised tariffs to 25% on rare earth exports to the U.S. and has threatened to halt exports altogether after the Trump administration raised tariffs on Chinese products and blacklisted telecommunications giant Huawei. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
FILE – In this Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, file photograph, an unsold 2019 S75D sits at a Tesla dealership in Littleton, Colo. Rising trade tensions have sparked worries about the 17 exotic-sounding rare minerals needed for high-tech products like robotics, drones and electric cars. China recently raised tariffs to 25% on rare earth exports to the U.S. and has threatened to halt exports altogether after the Trump administration raised tariffs on Chinese products and blacklisted telecommunications giant Huawei. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

A major warning is being issued about the technology you depend on to keep you safe in your vehicle.

AAA put automatic braking and other features to the test by placing crash dummies in their pathway to see if the cars recognize them and slow down, and they failed.

A lot of new cars have that emergency brake detection system that helps act as a second set of eyes made to prevent you from hitting another car or pedestrian in front of you.

But there has been recent questions on how reliable this technology is.

I was driving down the highway, it was dark and I hit a tow ramp that are on the back of the big heavy iron pickups. The car backed down to almost 50 mph and it literally drove from the high speed lane over three lanes to the break down lane, and I didn’t even touch it,” said Valerie Bailey.

Bailey says while her brake assist didn’t detect the tow ramp in front of her at night, the other safety features allowed her car to take over and seek safety on the side of the interstate, ultimately saving her life.

WINK News received a study from from AAA that says this unfortunate scenario when set up with crash dummies is a likely outcome when it comes to the accuracy of braking systems detecting pedestrians.

The study, which was released on Thursday, concluded that during the day systems are inconstant, and at night they are just downright ineffective.

That’s why a local mechanic says you should never fully rely on this kind of technology.

“In today’s world people have become so reliant that they aren’t paying attention and we are seeing these accidents where people think this will save them from hitting someone who walks out in front of them, yes it’ll let you know something is there, but you still have to be able to react just as quick,” said Alan Smith, mechanic at Terry Wynter Auto Service Center.

In 2018 more than 9,000 pedestrians were involved in a traffic crash, and of that number 700 of them died.

With issues like lack of sidewalks and lighting, SWFL is constantly ranked as one of the most dangerous places for pedestrians.

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