Motor Trend Audio

Autonomous features are being incorporated into vehicles at a rate that outpaces consumers' awareness of the feature's name and function. Studies have shown that incorporating brake override, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and adaptive headlights would save up to 10,000 lives a year. Mark Rechtin, the Cars Content Development Team Leader at Consumer Reports, extolls the virtues of brake override and how Consumer Reports ratings are now impacted by manufacturers who make advanced driver safety systems standard across a model line. Deborah Hersman, CEO of the National Safety Council, also joins us and informs us that 40% of consumers are unaware or confused by the features of their own car. As such, the National Safety Council has teamed up with the University of Iowa to create the website MyCarDoesWhat.org, to educate the public on the ever-changing world of car safety features.