AAA: New Vehicle Systems Not Foolproof [AUDIO]

There are drawbacks to some of the electronic safety enhancements found in new vehicles according to research conducted by the AAA auto club.

AAA's research found problems with the electronic safety enhancements designed to brake independently to avoid collisions, alert drivers to a potential crash and adjust the vehicle's pace to maintain a preset speed.

Tracy Noble, a spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic, said while these new vehicle systems help a driver, they don't replace common sense and awareness behind the wheel.

"There are advances in driver assistance systems. They do have the potential to save lives, but they are not replacing an engaged driver," Noble said.

One of the problems found by AAA include auto braking that did not always recognize objects in front of it. In addition, research also found that adaptive cruise control systems designed to monitor and maintain a vehicle's speed in traffic, performed better when following more closely than AAA recommends.

Noble said vehicles should be equipped with more and better warnings about system limitations.  In addition, she said owners of new vehicles that contain this new and still-evolving technology, need to read the owner's manual so they understand the innovations they are dealing with.