Is Autopilot Safer Than Human Driving? 

As we steamroll our vehicle technology into the future, autopilot and ADAS in cars are becoming the latest trend in car safety. Revered for accident avoidance, streamlined traffic flow, and reducing distracted driving, companies like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and General Motors have deemed their semi-autonomous cars safer than human drivers.

So, are they safer than humans? The answer is complex. While autopilot features help reduce some dangers associated with human error, such as fatigue, speeding, reaction times, their limitations and challenges on real roads can inhibit their ability to remain safe. Check out the data below to see if autopilot systems help avoid accidents or if you’ll need the help of a car accident lawyer in Duluth.

Why Autopilot Should be Safer

Reduces Human Error

One of the most compelling reasons for autopilot system implementation is due to their ability to avoid accidents. According to estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), roughly 94% of serious motor vehicle accidents are the result of human error. 

These include human-based actions such as distracted driving, fatigue, speeding, and driving under the influence. Autopilot systems are resistant to these incapacitations, which gives them a theoretical “leg up” over manual driving. 

Faster Reaction Times

Another important benefit is faster reaction time. Human drivers typically take about 1.5 seconds to respond to an unexpected event on the road. However, automated systems can process camera, radar, and lidar sensor data in a matter of milliseconds. Faster reaction time can be critical in preventing or mitigating crashes.

Promising New Data

Manufacturers also supply encouraging facts. Tesla’s 2023 safety report indicates that vehicles on autopilot experience one crash every 5.3 million miles driven. To compare, the national average is roughly a crash per 670,000 miles. General Motors has reported that its Super Cruise system has produced a 74% reduction in crashes from the baseline human-driven vehicle.

Despite such optimistic statistics, critics remind us that this information may not be corrected for realistic environments. Autopilot systems are primarily applied on highways—conditions already less risky than in urban roads or rural paths. The comparison then may not be reflective of general driving conditions altogether. 

Limitations and Risks of Autopilot

Dangerous in Unpredictable Situations

While autopilot reduces some hazards, it is far from perfect. They often fail in construction zones with odd lane markings, around emergency response vehicles, or bad weather such as heavy rain, snow, or fog. A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in 2024 discovered that partial automation systems did not react suitably in 50% of edge-case situations—situations where human drivers perform successful reactions.

Driver Overconfidence

Another problem is driver overconfidence. Stanford University research found drivers in autopilot mode were three times more likely to be inattentive, as if they were texting on their phones. NHTSA also documented a series of crashes in which drivers disregarded several alerts to take control manually. Excessive reliance on the system driving autonomously can lead to an unacceptable level of complacency.

Phantom Breaking

Technical issues are a problem as well. There have been instances of phantom braking, where the vehicle suddenly slows down or stops. Tesla recalled over 360,000 vehicles in 2023 due to safety concerns regarding its Autopilot technology.

Comparing Autopilot vs. Human Drivers

A side-by-side comparison of major safety features:

Human drivers have always had roughly 1.5 fatal crashes per million vehicle miles driven, while Tesla reports its Autopilot system has roughly 0.3 fatal crashes per million miles. In a human response time, the average takes around 1.5 seconds, whereas automated systems respond in milliseconds.

But humans will perform better in the case of unexpected or complex hazards. Autopilot mechanisms, however, can respond unpredictably or even stop working when there are such situations. Although humans have a tendency to be distracted, over-reliance on autopilot modes can cause this to increase and cause slower reaction times to unexpected events.

So, Is Autopilot the Safer Option?

Overall, autopilot systems are helpful when avoiding accidents normally caused by humans error, but are still far from the advancements needed to navigates all possible road threats. Drivers should be aware that these systems are not as a replacement for human attention and judgment and should act as driving aids.

Drivers must remain vigilant and ready to take action as needed and be aware at all times, even while in autopilot mode