Chevy and Buick Desperately Need to Up Their Game in a Critical Area
Andrew Koole
· 4 min read
Chevy
and Buick are two of the oldest car brands in America. Throughout the years, their reputations have changed from pickup competitors and road-boat builders to EV innovators and luxury SUV suppliers. But one aspect of the currency they both need to improve is driver assistance technology.Driver assistance systems are becoming the norm in the auto industry. While they differ in capability from brand to brand, they all hold the same basic function: to keep drivers safer on the road.
Consumer Reports
(CR) has tested these systems since 2018, when only four were available. This year, there were 17. And while fellow General Motors-owned Cadillac fared the best in CR’s tests, Chevy and Buick’s shared system was among the worst.
What’s wrong with Chevy and Buick’s driver assistance system?
CR rated the current driver assistance systems based on five criteria: capability and performance, how they keep drivers engaged, how easy they are to use, how they inform drivers when they are safe to use, and how they deal with an unresponsive driver.
Unsurprisingly, Tesla had the best grade for capability and performance. Audi, Cadillac, and Lincoln/Ford weren’t far behind. Chevy and Buick’s system tied with Mazda’s for last place. CR noted that the lane-assist feature only kicks in when the driver starts to veer and couldn’t consistently keep the vehicle in its lane.
Chevy and Buick’s "Driver Confidence" system also rated poorly for its ability to get the driver engaged and for its notification of when it’s safe to be used. The only categories where the system rated above a 5/10 was in its ease of use and how it reacted to an unresponsive driver.
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Driver assistance systems that rated the best
MORE: Tesla and Other Automakers Could Be Subjected to New Autopilot Safety Regulations
Cadillac’s Super Cruise and Tesla’s AutoPilot were the two systems with the best ratings by the end of the testing process. Out of 100 possible points, the Super Cruise system earned 69 and AutoPilot received 57.
Cadillac came out on top with high scores in all but one category—"ease of use." None of the other systems fared very well in this category either. Tesla took the top spot with a mediocre 7/10.
The AutoPilot’s other scores were pretty erratic, taking first place in "performance capabilities" and "ease of use" but sitting in the middle for how it helps unresponsive drivers and sharing last place for how it tells its driver when it is safe to use and how it keeps the driver engaged.
The state of today’s auto safety features
MORE: Almost 20,000 Lives a Year Are Saved by 2 Basic Safety Features
Driver assistance systems are the latest high-tech advancements automakers are adding to their new models to improve their safety and impress buyers.
Having a car that helps keep you in your lane and prevent accidents sounds appealing, but you should always test drive a new car to see if you like these new features before you spend your money.
It’s also important to note that the two most important safety features, the ones that still save the most lives, are airbags and the trusty old seatbelt. Making sure these are properly functioning and, in the case of the seatbelt, are worn could save your life and the lives of your passengers.
No matter how many safety features your car has, you need to make sure your car insurance covers you for the worst-case scenario. If you have any questions about your coverage,
Jerry’s
friendly agents are here to answer your questions and provide advice on the best coverage options. As your life changes, your insurance changes, and Jerry is ready to make those adjustments for you.
