Your next car will allow you to drive hands-free. Is that a good thing?

Automotive companies have been adding safety technologies designed to prevent accidents, such as automatic emergency braking and systems to prevent the car from getting out of its lane. Now, there are more who introduce features of vehicles that want to make driving in rush hour traffic or on road trips less onerous.

Some new systems allow drivers to get their hands off the wheel on highways or in heavy congestion, using sensors, radar and cameras to automatically keep the car centered, control speed and even change lanes.

General Motors Co.

was the first major automotive company to promote these capabilities in 2017 with its hands-free Super Cruise feature, which can be activated on most U.S. roads by pressing a button on the steering wheel that allows the car to take over the steering and speed control.

The Detroit automaker said it now plans to roll out the technology in about two dozen models by 2023, compared to a current Cadillac model.

Ford engine Co.

F -1.45%

recently said it would offer similar technology starting next year on up to 100,000 F-150 pickup trucks and Mustang Mach-E electric sports utility models.

Honda engine Co.

HMC -0.45%

plans to launch a sedan in Japan in the coming months that will allow the driver to completely relinquish control of the car in heavy traffic or on highways. The technology will even allow drivers to look away from the road, although they are expected to regain control at any time, the company said. Japan’s government regulators approved its use in November.

Honda said it has not revealed plans to introduce this technology beyond Japan.

Meanwhile, Tesla Inc.

TSLA 2.44%

he said it recently released to some owners a test version of its updated autopilot, the carmaker’s driver assistance feature.

The $ 10,000 feature, which the company calls Full Self Driving, expands the use of automated features to more types of roads and adds features like highway interchange navigation.

The promise of driverless vehicles has faded in recent years, as developers struggle to refine technology. But carmakers are equipping more models with driverless vehicle building blocks to offer so-called driver assistance packages, hoping to gain a competitive edge and increase sales.

“They allow carmakers to offer really interesting and differentiated features to the consumer at a reasonable price,” said Glen De Vos, chief technology officer of Aptiv PLC, a provider of software and components used in driver assistance systems.

Consumer Reports has recently tested 17 models that combine automated steering and speed control, compared to four that the magazine did a similar test two years ago. The magazine said these systems can alleviate driver fatigue, but performance varies widely in aspects such as smooth frequency and acceleration or keeping the car focused on its lane.

However, if drivers have less to do behind the wheel, safety advocates are worried, they will be tempted to look at their phones or indulge in other distractions, which will lead to accidents.

“If we’re going to put this technology in cars, we need to be aware of making sure the driver is reasonably engaged,” said Bryan Reimer, an MIT researcher studying driver assistance systems.

Some proponents have criticized Tesla for promoting its latest upgrade as a standalone because the system is not completely autonomous and proponents say a pilot system should not be tested on the public highway.

Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. The electric car maker has said earlier that accident rates are lower when drivers have vehicles with the autopilot driver assistance system turned on than when not in use.

Automakers have installed camera-based systems that monitor drivers ’focus and alert them if their attention is diverted, executives and analysts say. GM and BMW AG

BMW 1.78%

use the technology to keep drivers engaged and Ford and others plan to use it in future models. These systems have received praise from researchers.

De Vos, of Aptiv, said the company is working with five automakers to equip vehicles with camera-based driver tracking systems.

Cadillac owners have recorded about 6.5 million miles hands-free using Super Cruise technology, the company said. A series of audible alerts warn drivers if their attention strays from the road.

Mario Maiorana, GM’s chief Super Cruise engineer, said it has become a selling point for customers, noting that 85% of homeowners say the feature would be an important consideration in their next purchase. of cars.

“People have told us that they feel like they are reaching their destination feeling more refreshed and relaxed because of the work we have managed,” he said.

A recent update improved driver control technology, he said. You can now track the driver’s eyes, rather than just the position of the head, to better detect if the driver is stuck on the road or anywhere else.

A U.S. Senate bill introduced this year would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to study whether driver control systems can reduce distracted driving and potentially require them in future models. Legislation, introduced by Edward Markey (D., Mass.) And Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) In July, is pending.

A spokesman for the department’s National Road Traffic Safety Administration said it is investigating whether driver control systems are effective in identifying and mitigating inattentive or disabled drivers.

The growing availability of driver assistance systems has resulted in a lot of different features that vary by car model and manufacturer, said Kelly Funkhouser, a vehicle testing manager who leads automated vehicle coverage at Consumer Reports.

“All of these systems behave so differently and there are no performance or design standards,” he said. “There needs to be more cohesion.”

Write to Mike Colias to [email protected]