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AAA: Partially automated systems may not work

DETROIT (AP) — Two tests by AAA during the past two years show that partially automated driving systems don’t always function properly, so the auto club is recommending that car companies limit their use.

Researchers with AAA recently tested systems from five manufacturers over a distance of 4,000 miles, and said they encountered problems every eight miles.

Most of the issues involved systems designed to keep vehicles in their lane, but the tests discovered that many had trouble spotting simulated broken-down vehicles in their path. About two-thirds of the time the test vehicles hit the broken-down car, at an average speed of 25 mph, according to the study.

It was AAA’s second round of tests on the systems. Researchers said little had changed from a test of four other vehicles in 2018, prompting the recommendation that automakers stop including the technology on more models.

“AAA has repeatedly found that active driving assistance systems do not perform consistently, especially in real-world scenarios,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering. “Automakers need to work toward more dependable technology including improving lane keeping assistance.”

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