Perhaps dealers are making headway when explaining the complex safety systems of new and late-model vehicles during delivery. But new research from J.D. Power and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) showed that getting consumers completely comfortable with these features still has plenty of room for improvement.

First, here’s the positive movements highlighted by IIHS through a study conducted by analyzing the state of vehicles coming through dealership service departments.

IIHS found almost 9 out of 10 drivers of vehicles equipped with lane departure warning and prevention systems now keep them switched on, and seven out of 10 drivers of vehicles that give visual alerts when they exceed the speed limit also keep that feature running.

“These results hint at a growing awareness that crash avoidance systems and other technologies can improve safety,” IIHS president David Harkey said. “They also indicate that automakers’ efforts to increase usage rates have been a success.”

IIHS observed activation rates of systems that retain their last setting with each ignition cycle on more than 2,000 model year 2017 to 2023 vehicles from six manufacturers serviced at branded dealerships in the Washington, D.C., metro area in 2023.

The array of safety features examined in the current study included both lane departure prevention, which provides minor steering adjustments to help redirect the vehicle if it nears the edge of the lane, and lane departure warning.

However, IIHS acknowledged only 1% of vehicles in the study had warning-only systems.

Of the 99% that had lane departure prevention, 11% had only the warning function enabled, while 76% had the prevention function enabled, according to IIHS.

At the time of an earlier study, IIHS said warning-only systems were the most common type of system but the least likely to be switched on.

IIHS’ new study found that systems that are activated and deactivated through the in-vehicle settings menu, rather than a button, were more likely to be switched on. Seven years ago, researchers pointed out only one of the observed models was designed that way, while a little more than half of vehicles in the new sample were.

“That is likely one factor contributing to the increased use,” IIHS said. “A change in the alert mode could also account for some of the growing acceptance.”

IIHS explained past research has shown that drivers find audible lane departure alerts annoying. In the earlier study, that was reflected in higher activation rates for systems that used haptic alerts such as seat or steering wheel vibrations instead.

Researchers said the same preference was clear in the new study, but this time four of the six automakers covered in the study either primarily used haptic alerts or allowed the driver to select their preferred alert mode, with haptic as an option. Activation rates for the two that continued to use visual and audible alerts were substantially lower than for other manufacturers.

“The results reflect a combination of better designs and a growing acceptance of crash avoidance systems, more generally,” said IIHS research scientist Aimee Cox, the lead author of the study. “The new designs make the feature a little harder to turn off and a lot less annoying for the driver.”

Annoyance was the focal point of findings shared by J.D. Power, as well.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) account for 12.8% of total new-vehicle problems with 24.9 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) Quality and Satisfaction Study.

Most notably, J.D. Power said owners identify vehicle alerts as the top problem area of ADAS issues (9.0 PP100), and such problems have continued to grow during the past five years. A lower score reflects higher vehicle quality.

“The biggest issue consumers have with advanced driver assistance systems is that the alerts are annoying and bothersome,” said Ashley Edgar, senior director of global automotive supplier benchmarking and alternative mobility at J.D. Power. “As more technology is added to vehicles, manufactures need to ensure that driver assistance systems are integrated in such a way that enhances safety without detracting from the overall driving experience.

Additionally, dealer personnel should focus on educating new-vehicle buyers about the purpose of various ADAS technologies to increase comprehension and satisfaction,” Edgar added.

The U.S. ADAS Quality and Satisfaction Study, now in its third year, is based on responses from 99,144 purchasers and lessees of new 2024 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study was fielded from July 2023 through May of this year.