Modern driver assistance systems are considered a key building block for greater road safety. But day-to-day operations paint a different picture: according to a survey by the UADS Institute commissioned by the German Road Safety Council (DVR), a large share of truck drivers do not use these systems continuously.
Overall, 59 percent of respondents said they disable assistance systems at least some of the time. 19 percent do so frequently, and another 40 percent occasionally.
“Driver assistance systems are more than just technology—they are guardian angels for everyone on the road,” explains DVR President Manfred Wirsch. “Anyone who switches them off is knowingly accepting a higher risk and endangering lives inside and outside the cab.”
Lane keeping assist is switched off particularly often
The system most commonly affected is lane keeping assist: around 56 percent of drivers do not use it regularly. Next are intelligent speed assist (16 percent) and adaptive cruise control (15 percent).
Safety-critical systems such as the turning assistant (8 percent) or emergency braking assist (5 percent) are deactivated less often, though they are also not used continuously.
This shows that systems which actively intervene in driving behavior or issue frequent warnings are especially likely to be switched off.
Main reason: lack of training and uncertainty
A key finding of the survey concerns training: according to the DVR, around 32 percent of drivers have received no instruction at all on how to use the systems. Another 45 percent were only briefed informally by colleagues. Only about 24 percent have completed official training.
These shortcomings are reflected in how drivers handle the technology:
- 36 percent feel insufficiently informed,
- 12 percent do not know exactly which systems are installed in the vehicle,
- 22 percent find the technology hard to understand.
“Only those who understand how a system reacts can fully benefit from its protective effect,” says Wirsch.
Companies have a duty to ensure their drivers are properly qualified.
Acceptance is there—but everyday use doesn’t convince
In principle, attitudes toward assistance systems are positive: almost 80 percent of respondents consider them useful. At the same time, real-world use tells a different story.
Around 53 percent feel bothered or distracted by warnings, system interventions, or false alarms. Just under 37 percent tend not to trust the systems, or do not trust them at all.
The DVR does not see responsibility solely with drivers. Manufacturers also need to improve. Key factors include intuitive operating concepts, fewer false alarms, and more consistent system logic.
Between safety gains and operational strain
For the transport industry, the survey highlights a familiar tension: technically, many systems are mature and legally required, but in practice they run into acceptance issues.
For companies, this means in concrete terms:
- assistance systems are available, but not used consistently,
- safety gains are partly left untapped,
- lack of training becomes an operational risk.
At the heart of the problem lies less in the technology itself than in the interplay of usability, training, and real-world practicality.
Put differently: the systems have long been in the vehicle, but have not yet fully made it into everyday working practice—and that gap can quickly become a compliance problem for operators.
