New AAA Study Reveals Concerns About Rear Cross Traffic Alert Systems

According to a new survey, AAA warns drivers to be mindful of parking lot issues, especially in relation to over-reliance on rear cross traffic alert systems.

"Recognizing that American parking habits differ from much of the world, automakers are increasingly adding technology to vehicles that is designed to address rear visibility concerns," said John Nielsen, the company’s Managing Director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. "However, AAA’s testing of these systems reveals significant shortcomings when used in real-world conditions and Americans should rely more on driving skills than technology."

In partnership with the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center, AAA tested rear cross traffic alert systems, designed to alert drivers to traffic passing behind a reversing vehicle, and found significant system limitations exist when parked between larger vehicles, such as SUVs or minivans. In this common parking lot scenario, the tested systems failed to detect pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, and other vehicles at alarming rates:

A passing motorcycle was not detected by the systems in 48 percent of tests.
The systems failed to detect a bicycle passing behind the vehicle 40 percent of the time.
The systems failed to detect a passing vehicle 30 percent of the time.
While not all systems are designed to detect pedestrians, the technology failed to detect pedestrians 60 percent of the time.

"AAA’s independent testing showed that rear cross traffic alert systems failed to work effectively in several test vehicles," cautioned Megan McKernan, Manager of the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center. "It’s critical that drivers reverse slowly and use this technology as an aid to, not a substitute for, safe driving."

Previous testing of rear-view camera systems, required on all new vehicles by 2018, revealed significant consumer benefits including increased visibility of the rear blind zone by an average of 46 percent. However, it’s important to note that no system shows 100 percent of the space behind a vehicle and that rain, snow, or slush can impede camera visibility.