Dekra: Many drivers cannot operate assistance systems correctly

Taxi and rental car companies should properly train new drivers in the handling of the complex technology of their vehicles to ensure they can operate them correctly and without distraction. This conclusion can be drawn from the results of a representative forsa survey conducted on behalf of Dekra.

The actual purpose of the study was to find out how respondents feel about driver assistance systems and automated driving. However, the study also surveyed the usability of important functions and systems. According to experience, these are repeatedly associated with problems. "Especially in vehicles of the younger generation, and also due to the fact that operation varies depending on the manufacturer," writes Dekra.

In the survey, nearly 90 percent of respondents across all age groups indicated that they had been in a situation where they did not immediately know how to operate certain functions or systems in a vehicle unfamiliar to them.

One can tolerate such a situation with a cruise control or adaptive cruise control (61 percent), but it becomes critical for low beam or high beam lights, as well as fog lights (55 percent) and windshield wipers (46 percent). The navigation system (46 percent), on the other hand, should only be operated when stationary, and destinations should not be entered while driving anyway.