Used car dealers report customers are being increasingly put off by second-hand vehicles fitted with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). These can include audible speed limit alerts and lane-keep assistance.
Some 20 percent of used car buyers are actually opting for slightly older models with fewer ADAS features as a result.
A majority of motorists are unconvinced by the safety benefits of ADAS, while 18 percent say they find them actively annoying.
“New EU regulations mandated a whole host of ADAS devices from July last year and UK cars tend to be made to the same specifications,” said Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, which publishes a monthly Used Car Tracker to gauge car dealer sentiment.
“The new introductions do tend to be intrusive, such as audible warnings if you exceed the speed limit and lane departure that will take control of the steering wheel.
“Much research has gone into these devices and road safety experts believe they will have a marked effect on accident rates. However, there is little question some drivers them annoying. The vast majority of dealers think this is having a direct impact on the saleability of the cars involved.”
Is ADAS education needed?
Surprisingly, the research found none of the dealers surveyed think customers will tend to turn off the ADAS features on cars they have bought.
Theories here include disable switches being buried in submenus (and the systems default to ‘on’ each time the car is started anyway), or drivers simply becoming accustomed to ADAS over time.
“It is interesting that 55 percent of dealers think motorists are unconvinced of the safety benefits,” added Burgess. “Perhaps some form of education campaign is needed to show how cars equipped in this way will actively prevent accidents.”
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