Fast55
Been here awhile...
Yeah, old timer, but over 20,000 lives can be saved every year by developing/ implementing autonomous cars.
Yeah, and we could save many thousands more if we outlawed cigarettes, motorcycles, etc. etc.
I believe the point is, that these technologies are not necessary any more than iPod integration, cruise control, or power windows and they add cost and complexity, making the cars with all these bells and whistles all but impossible to keep and maintain after the warranty is done.
Too much technology is a real possibility for that reason and because drivers can be either overwhelmed by "data overload", or disconnected because they are overly reliant on the car's systems. As you posted, "The system is designed to ease the driver’s workload on freeways only, in bumper-to-bumper traffic and on long road trips; however, the driver’s attention is still required."
The haptic feedback in the steering wheel of my last BMW for lane keeping scared the hell out of the wife and she nearly wrecked the car the first time it "went off" as she called it.
I'm all for technology, but every new fancy "doo dad" that comes out isn't necessarily a good thing.