On the Dash:
- Advanced safety technology is becoming a stronger value proposition for consumers, especially in entry-level vehicles.
- Dealers may see growing demand for service and calibration tied to ADAS-equipped vehicles.
- Adopting safety features could improve customer retention by reducing exposure to accidents and offering insurance-related benefits.
General Motors (GM) said a new study conducted with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) found that advanced safety and driver-assistance technologies significantly reduced crashes and injuries in real-world driving conditions, reinforcing the automaker’s broader push toward safer vehicle platforms and expanded ADAS deployment.
GM and the UMTRI analyzed approximately 12 million GM vehicles from model years 2020 to 2024 and matched them with over 700,000 police-reported crashes across 18 states.
The researchers found that vehicles equipped with advanced safety technologies showed statistically significant reductions in several crash types and injury severity rates.
Expanding active safety strategy
This study marks the eighth collaboration between GM and UMTRI to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of active safety systems. GM highlighted several standard safety technologies available on U.S. vehicles priced under $30,000, including:
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Front Pedestrian Braking
- Lane Keep Assist
- Forward Collision Alert
- IntelliBeam.
Reinforcing zero-crash vision
The researchers evaluated various crash categories, including rear-end collisions, roadway departures, pedestrian accidents, lane-change incidents, and backing crashes. The analysis compared crash rates for vehicles equipped with safety systems to those without, while accounting for factors such as driver behavior, road conditions, and vehicle type.
GM executives stated that the findings support the company’s strategy of “zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion” and underscore their commitment to future safety technology investments. This study builds on previous UMTRI research demonstrating measurable reductions in crashes related to Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, and other active safety systems.
