Motorists know little about the smart assistance systems in their new car. This has emerged from research by the ANWB in collaboration with the FIA ​​and the joint European mobility clubs. The ANWB reports on their website that more than 70% of car owners are not fully aware of the operation of these systems and therefore do not use them. According to the ANWB, this is a missed opportunity for road safety. The assistance systems can help the driver to drive more safely, for example by automatically keeping his distance, warning or even intervening in dangerous situations. The ANWB therefore advocates better information about these assistance systems when purchasing the car.

The survey shows that about a third of motorists are more or less familiar with how the new car's assistance systems work. Only one fifth of the respondents appeared to have received any explanation from the car salesman. Some dealers give a car for a test drive without accompanying the buyer, while other sellers do. More than a quarter of the buyers had studied the - often bulky - instruction booklet, often containing information about multiple versions of assistance systems. The fact that there are different designations for the same systems is not easy for motorists. 

According to the ANWB, manufacturers must inform motorists much better about the possibilities of the system when purchasing the car. The car industry can take more responsibility and better inform buyers, according to the association. In addition, the ANWB calls on the government to come up with regulations, so that more uniformity is achieved in the operation and the various indications of assistance systems. 

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The research was carried out in six countries, including in the Netherlands, by consultancy firm Royal Haskoning DHV, Hogeschool Arnhem Nijmegen (HAN) and TNO. It has been investigated whether motorists know how this 'assistance in the car', also known as ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems), works. This includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking systems or lane support.

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