SELF-DRIVING MECHANISM MALFUNCTION DISPUTE

[Anchor Lead]

Many vehicles these days come with the smart cruise function, a type of a self-driving mechanism that helps maintain certain distance with the car ahead. One driver who relied on this function got into an accident on the expressway. The manufacturer's response was that the sensors recognize other cars that are not moving only when travelling at low speed. The driver is likely to take on the full damage of the crash.

[Pkg]

An imported electric car is cruising at 120 kilometers per hour on the highway. Cars are slowing down in the front but this vehicle does not. A sensor notifying a hurdle was activated but the vehicle just crashes into the bus in the front.

[Soundbite] (FELLOW PASSENGER(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "It was horrible to see our car driving straight towards the vehicle ahead."

The driver at the time was using the smart cruise function which maintains a 120 meter distance with other cars. The sensor was operating so the driver thought the vehicle would slow down, but it didn't. The driver ended up stepping on the brake but it was too late. An investigation report on that accident by the carmaker's German HQ took longer than 2 months. But the response was even more bewildering. The report stated that all functions were operating optimally at the time of the incident but if a car is driving at over 50 kilometers per hour, it cannot recognize an immobile object ahead. Based on this explanation, it will be dangerous to use the smart cruise function in many places including downtown areas where there are plenty of hurdles as well as expressways where the speed limit is higher.

[Soundbite] (DRIVER OF ACCIDENT VEHICLE(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "I only knew about it today through the report. Most drivers would probably be in the dark as well."

Automotive functions which carmakers currently advertise as "autonomous" are Level 2 grade auxiliary technology in terms of the capacity to assist the human driver. Limitations are quite extensive, depending on factors like speed and the amount of light. And so humans must take the lead when controling the system. There is no accurate data on how dangerous certain scenarios can become, and the driver is held fully responsible in the event of a road accident if they rely solely on the smart function.

[Soundbite] PROF. KIM PIL-SOO(DAELIM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE) : "Manufacturers and distributors of models sold in Korea should be alerted of their obligation to caution drivers."

More and more cars are equipped with a range of limited autonomous capabilities but statistics on related mishaps are still not tallied.