The Top Technologies Mature Drivers Want

Blind-spot warnings and back-up cameras top the list.
Some think certain tech makes drivers too reliant.

By Bill McLauchlan

There seems no end to the onslaught of electronic wizardly introduced by auto manufacturers these days.

Most of it falls into the “infotainment” category to make your car more “connected” to the outside world but many of the technology additions help to make driving safer and/or enhance your driving experience.

So it was interesting to learn from a recently released study just what new technology features we, as mature drivers, will accept in our current or next vehicle purchases.

Blind-spot warning systems and back-up cameras are the technologies mature drivers are most willing to adopt, according to new research by The Hartford – a leader in property and casualty insurance – and the MIT Age Lab – a multi-disciplinary research program that works with business, government and NGOs to improve the quality of life of older people and those who care for them.

Their combined research project, Vehicle Technology Adoption Among Mature Drivers, involved 302 drivers ages 50-69 to assess their likelihood to adopt current vehicle technologies. In the study, participants viewed a video about seven vehicle technologies (blind-spot systems, reverse back-up cameras, smart headlights, collision avoidance systems, lane departure warnings, parking assistance and adaptive cruise control), as well as a video about a self-driving car, and responded to the video via a perception analyzer tool. This was followed by further analysis, small group discussions and pre/post-test questionnaires.

Graphic: Ford Motor Co.

It won’t surprise you to learn the study revealed that technologies that improved driving safety found consistent favour, but some think some advancements could make drivers too reliant on them.

Of the seven technologies described above, here’s what our more mature driver population would most like to have on their cars:

1: Blind-spot warning systems.
2: Reverse back-up cameras.
3: Smart headlights.
4: Collision avoidance systems.
5: Lane departure warnings.

“In this study, we wanted to understand mature drivers’ willingness to adopt vehicle technologies,” said Jodi Olshevski, gerontologist and executive director of the Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence. “These are becoming more available in new cars today, so it’s important that all drivers learn how they work and how to use them effectively. This is especially true for mature drivers, as many technologies can enhance the driving experience as we age.”

Purchase and Use
Ninety-six percent of study participants reported they would be willing to buy a car with at least one of the seven features covered in the study; nearly 10 percent indicated they’d be willing to buy all seven.

Graphic: Business Wire

A majority of respondents also said they’d be quite likely to use the five features listed above if they had them. And most thought each of the seven total technologies covered in the study were worth having. Collision avoidance and blind-spot warning were most likely seen as worth having at any price than the other technologies in the study.

“Drivers who are experienced with technology in general, trust it, and see themselves as able to learn how to use it are more receptive to adopting vehicle technologies,” noted Joseph F. Coughlin, Director of the MIT AgeLab. “These tech-savvy drivers feel more positively about vehicle technologies overall and are more likely to recommend that a family member or friend purchase a car with new technologies.”

The study disclosed that mature drivers believe the primary benefit of many vehicle tech features is to improve safety for the driver. Participants said that back-up camera (78%), blind-spot warning (77%), collision avoidance (68%), lane departure (64%), and smart headlight (63%) systems were most connected to safety. Yet some mature drivers worried that other new aids, including park assistance (42%) and adaptive cruise control (25%), might make drivers too reliant on the technologies themselves.

As for self-driving cars, more expressed interest in “test driving” a driverless car than in buying one. Almost three-quarters (70%) admitted they’d test-drive an autonomous car, compared to only 31% who would buy one – even if it were the same price as a “regular” car. If a self-driving car and a regular car were the same price, more participants would opt for the “regular” (39%) than the self-driving car (31%).

To help mature drivers learn more about vehicle technologies, The Hartford developed a free guidebook and an interactive video quiz. These are available at thehartford.com/cartech.