MetLife Poll Finds Americans Place Higher Value On Convenience Features Than On Safety Technology

According to the new MetLife Auto & Home American Safety Pulse Poll, fully eighty-five percent of Americans believe cars are safer today, but just twenty-nine percent think technology innovations have translated into making people safer drivers, and nearly two-thirds (sixty-three percent) of Americans believe that today’s drivers rely too heavily on technology features to operate their vehicles.

The survey also suggests that many people are not necessarily making wise decisions when it comes to evaluating the importance of different technology features, with Americans favoring increased convenience over driver and passenger safety.

"Auto manufacturers have made significant strides with regard to safety innovations over the past ten years - but the ultimate safety feature is an alert and prepared driver," said Bill Moore, President of MetLife Auto & Home. "Technology advancements have greatly improved the comfort and safety of cars, but overreliance on these features can be dangerous – drivers need to remember that it’s still up to them to operate their vehicles in a safe and responsible manner."

Although Americans clearly care about safety, the results of the survey suggest that respondents display a significantly higher level of familiarity with convenience-oriented features than with those devoted to car safety.

Ninety percent of respondents were either very or somewhat familiar with GPS devices, which can make it easier to find your destination, but can take your attention off the road.
Seventy-seven percent of respondents were either very or somewhat familiar with Bluetooth-style accessories, which can make taking calls in your car easier, but the conversation can still be just as distracting.
Twenty-seven percent of respondents even indicated they were very or somewhat familiar with in-car social networking, only recently released in certain car models– a number that increased to forty percent among younger Americans (aged 18-34).

In contrast, when asked about their familiarity with more safety-oriented features – some of which have been available for several years – consistently fewer than half reported that they were very or somewhat familiar with various technologies.

Less than half (forty-two percent) of respondents were very or somewhat familiar with electronic stability control, one of the most significant safety advancements in recent years, which helps improve steering and prevent rollover accidents. Almost one-third (thirty-one percent) had never heard of it at all.
Forty-four percent of respondents were very or somewhat familiar with brake assist, which applies additional brake force in the event of a sudden stop.
Forty-three percent were very or somewhat familiar with forward collision warning, which alerts the driver when sensors detect an imminent front-end impact.
Twenty-eight percent were very or somewhat familiar with the lane departure warning feature, which warns a driver that he or she is drifting out of the designated lane on a highway. Forty one percent of respondents had never even heard of the feature.

Americans have always shown an appetite for the new and innovative, so it should come as no surprise that the majority of those polled (fifty-five percent) said they would prefer to drive a car with state-of-the-art technology upgrades. However, where they want to invest their hard-earned money suggests that people prefer glamor over safety. When asked which features they wanted in their next car, more people opted for convenience features such as GPS (sixty-three percent) over safety features like electronic stability control (forty-five percent).

This despite research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which respectively shows that electronic stability control significantly decreases the likelihood of a single-vehicle crash by up to fifty-nine percent and provides a twenty-three percent reduction in the probability of fatal crashes. Even with this proven effectiveness, just one-third (thirty-four percent) of respondents said they would pay extra for the feature, with men expressing a greater willingness than women (forty-one percent vs. twenty-seven percent). Although most consumers may not recognize the importance of this feature, fortunately, starting September 1, electronic stability control will be a standard feature on all new passenger cars in the U.S.

Although people are less willing to pay for safety features, they do recognize their importance. The majority of Americans do in fact feel safer when their own cars and the cars around them are equipped with the following safety technology:

Forward collision warning: Sixty-one percent of respondents say having this feature in their car makes them feel safer, while sixty-four percent say the feature in cars around them makes them feel safer.
Rear-view camera: Fifty-nine percent of respondents say having this feature in their car makes them feel safer, while fifty-four percent say the feature in cars around them makes them feel safer.
Electronic stability control: fifty-three percent of respondents say having this feature in their car makes them feel safer, while fifty-four percent say the feature in cars around them makes them feel safer.

"The most recognized and sought-after technology features tend to be those which promote style over substance, when in reality, it’s the less glamorous features like electronic stability control which make for safer vehicles," said Moore. "By increasing their understanding of the available safety features in today’s vehicles, consumers can make more informed choices about which cars provide the best safeguards to help protect themselves and their families on the road."