05:02 12-05-2026

GM Driver-Assistance Systems Reduce Crashes, But Zero Accidents Remain Elusive

A new study by GM and UMTRI of 12 million vehicles finds driver-assistance systems cut reversing crashes by 86% and forward collisions by 57%. But the road to zero accidents is still long.

GM and UMTRI analyzed data from 12 million vehicles built between 2020 and 2024. Driver-assistance systems do reduce crashes: reversing accidents are down by as much as 86%. But a zero-accident future remains distant. General Motors is once again talking about a crash-free future, and this time it backs the claim with a major study.

The University of Michigan's UMTRI looked at data from 12 million GM vehicles produced from 2020 to 2024 and cross-referenced it with over 700,000 police crash reports from 18 US states. The results are compelling. The suite of rear-driving assistants—automatic braking, cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, and a camera—reduced such accidents by 86%.

Automatic emergency braking cut forward collisions by 57%. Pedestrian braking systems lowered the number of crashes involving pedestrian injuries by 35%. More established helpers also show an effect. Lane-keeping reduced road departures by 15%, and lane-change warning cut accidents during lane changes by 13%.

A GM spokesperson, Susan Owen, stated that these findings provide real evidence that GM's safety technologies are doing exactly what they are designed to do: helping drivers avoid accidents and reduce injuries in everyday driving conditions.

But there is a huge gap between “fewer crashes” and “no crashes.” The study shows the benefit of electronic systems, not magic. They work best against specific mistakes: inattention while parking, late reactions to the car ahead, and drifting out of a lane.

Yet the reality of the road is broader: speeding, fatigue, alcohol, aggressive driving, and others' mistakes do not disappear. There is also the question of cost. Some of these systems are already available on relatively affordable GM models under $30,000, including the Buick Encore GX, Buick Envista, Chevrolet Trax, Trailblazer, and Bolt. But the full suite of assistants still raises the price of a car, and millions of older vehicles without such electronics remain on the roads.

For buyers, the takeaway is simple: modern safety assistants are indeed worth paying attention to, especially automatic braking and surround-view cameras. But viewing them as a substitute for the driver is dangerous. The car can help, warn, and sometimes save the day, but it does not replace speed, distance, and the brain behind the wheel. A crash-free future sounds great in a presentation. On the road, something else is far more useful: not expecting miracles from electronics and not getting in their way when they correct your mistakes.