Switch it on: how car safety tech can help save lives

According to the National Road Safety Data Hub, 1,326 road deaths have been recorded in the past 12 months as of July 2026. That's 0.9% higher than the same time last year¹. It's a sobering figure, but ADAS adoption offers hope for helping to reduce road related fatalities, IAG research finds (IAG is the parent company of NRMA Insurance).

ADAS, short for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, refers to smart car technology that aids, automates and improves systems in vehicles to help you drive safely and well. Many vehicles in Australia currently have some level of automation through ADAS features, like cruise control and blind spot monitoring. The technology isn't there to override a driver's intuition, but to help inform drivers of risks and hazards they might not have noticed, and where possible, intervene to help prevent a collision. This might happen via light sensors, sound indicators, steering adjustment or emergency braking.

The Federal Government has been gradually implementing new safety mandates to ensure more vehicles on our roads are fitted with this technology. In 2025, it became law that all new vehicles sold in Australia were required to be fitted with car-to-car automated emergency braking (AEB). This year in August, car-to-pedestrian AEB systems were mandated. And more regulatory changes are on the way — by 1 March 2029, lane-keep assist technology will be required on all new passenger and light-commercial vehicles sent to our shores.

There's a variety of reasons why some Australians are switching off the tech. Survey results revealed that some drivers find ADAS technology distracting, dangerous, and in some circumstances, unsettling. Passive warnings and alerts, like blind-spot warnings and lane-departure notifications aren't so much the issue, it's the active interventions — where the car automatically corrects a lane departure or force brakes — that are the key bugbears for drivers.

"The effectiveness of ADAS in delivering real-world safety benefits depends on strong driver engagement, which starts with overcoming existing negative attitudes and behaviours through targeted information and education." - Sebastien Glaser, Professor in Intelligent Transportation System at QUT.

So, what can be done to help increase adoption and reduce irritation?

During IAG's driver-field study, one guided test drive more than doubled the number of drivers who would be comfortable using ADAS. These findings suggest that experience is what drivers most crave and what builds the most comfort — so give them more! Do it at the point of sale, in driver training, and through demonstrations.

“Collaboration between vehicle manufacturers, governments, driver educators and motorists will be critical to increasing the ongoing use of ADAS technologies and unlocking their full potential to reduce collisions and ultimately, to save lives on Australian roads,” shares Ticehurst.

First, begin to build your understanding of how the tech works. You could do this by:

1. Going through your owner’s manual to learn what features your car has, and what they do.
2. Visiting websites like howsafeisyourcar.com.au for information and video explainers on different safety features.

Information alone isn't always enough to build confidence with new technology. To get hands-on experience, consider:

1. Visiting an empty car park to experiment with your car's features without the risk or pressure of traffic. Here, you could consider setting up cardboard boxes or traffic cones that your ADAS systems may detect and respond to so you can trial the features. Remember: speed limits and road rules still apply in car parks, so make sure to follow them and always maintain control of your vehicle.
2. Participating in a defensive driver course or safety clinic to help you learn more about your vehicle.

¹ Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. (2026, August 17). Monthly road deaths. National Road Safety Data Hub. https://datahub.roadsafety.gov.au/reporting/monthly-road-deaths  

² IAG. (2026). IAG Driving Safer Outcomes Report. https://www.iag.com.au/content/dam/corporate-iag/iag-aus/au/en/documents/adas-report-2026/iag-driving-safer-outcomes-report-august-2026.pdf