All That Safety Tech Makes Crashed Cars Way More Expensive To Fix
Motorsport

All That Safety Tech Makes Crashed Cars Way More Expensive To Fix

All That Safety Tech Makes Crashed Cars Way More Expensive To Fix

As driver-assist expertise in automobiles expands, so does the price of manufacturing and finally, the sticker worth. It’s no secret that new and used cars are more expensive now than ever, however a brand new examine from AAA raises one other price situation chances are you’ll not consider. In the occasion of a crash – even a minor one – these tech programs will be supremely costly to restore.

How costly are we speaking about? Prices differ relying on every kind of things, however AAA discovered a mean of 37.6 % of prices concerned in repairing crash harm go simply to repair and calibrate the sensors and cameras used for superior driver programs. That contains issues like dynamic cruise management and lane-keep help the place radars and cameras are known as into motion, however older tech like rear parking sensors additionally issue into the equation.

LIDAR vs Cameras

“Vehicles outfitted with extra subtle security programs are far more widespread now, particularly since NHTSA proposed its rule requiring automatic emergency braking earlier this 12 months,” mentioned Greg Brannon, the director of automotive engineering for AAA. “Consumers should know about the repair costs associated with these technologies. But they must also understand the importance of fixing them since improperly functioning systems could result in a deadly crash.”

Taking a deeper dive into the programs, AAA evaluated three automobiles from the 2023 mannequin 12 months outfitted with superior driver help gear. On common, repairing and correctly calibrating radar sensors added $500 to $1,300 to the restore invoice. Ultrasonic sensors typically used for parking help added anyplace from $300 to $1,000, and windshield digicam programs contributed $900 to $1,200. Again, these are prices only for the tech programs. 

Another eye-opening stat within the report comes from side-view mirrors. Surround-view and blind-spot programs typically embody sensors and/or cameras within the aspect mirrors, however they will add between $740 and $1,600 to a restore price. Per AAA, that may account for 70.8 % of the associated fee to simply substitute a mirror. Yikes.

While such programs definitely add price on all sides, there’s little doubt these options save lives. A study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety discovered that pickup vehicles outfitted with computerized emergency braking had a 43 % decrease fee of rear-end collisions, and harm stories have been 42 % decrease.