According to a 2022 survey conducted by Nissan Canada in partnership with the Canada Safety Council, four out of five Canadians said they have become accustomed to having at least one driver assistance feature in their vehicle.
The survey also shows that about seven out of ten drivers believe that these technologies could help them reduce the risk of accidents. This survey was conducted with a sample of 1502 Canadian adults, in collaboration with Angus Reid. Demographic quotas were established to ensure that the sample composition is representative of the entire target group nationally.
In fact, 72 percent of those surveyed believe that driver assistance technologies can help them reduce the risk of collisions, and 67 percent also indicate that these technologies make them feel safer behind the wheel.
Let’s remember that driver assistance technologies (ADAS) refer to all the elements installed in a vehicle to facilitate driving and, above all, to increase automobile and road safety. These features can be intelligent cruise control, blind spot and lane departure warning, forward collision warning, rearview cameras, automatic braking system, to name a few. According to the survey results, Canadians rely heavily on these technologies for peace of mind.
Appreciated equipment
These results show that the driving assistance technologies that Canadians consider most important are blind spot warning systems (59%), rearview cameras (58%) and cruise control (55%). In addition, 71% of respondents indicated that safety features would be a top priority when purchasing a new vehicle, and three out of five respondents (61%) indicated that they would not purchase a vehicle without the safety features they know and rely on.
“Nissan was the first manufacturer to bring advanced driver assistance technologies to market, and we are constantly striving to develop the most useful safety features to deploy in our most popular models,” said Steve Milette, president of Nissan Canada. “The results of this survey are consistent with our own internal research that helps us understand the needs and expectations of our customers. The findings helped us develop Nissan 360° Safety Shield, a suite of advanced driver assistance systems that use electronic assist features to provide greater comfort and safety for drivers. These tools are now standard in ten of our most popular models.”
The driver’s obligations
“Driving requires driver attention at all times,” said Gareth Jones, President and CEO of the Canada Safety Council. “Vigilance and concentration behind the wheel at all times remain an imperative, and while driver assistance technologies do not relieve the driver of his or her obligation to drive defensively, it is clear that the proper use of these tools contributes to safer driving and overall road safety.”
When it comes to future vehicle safety technologies, more than half of those surveyed felt that autonomous vehicles were the future, a sentiment shared by Nissan. The automaker is developing vehicle control and driver assistance technology that uses real-time information about the vehicle’s environment through next-generation high-performance LIDAR technology, radar and cameras to better prevent the risk of collisions.
For more information on National Road Safety Week, please visit the Canada Safety Council.
