Are advanced safety systems worth it in top-of-the-line cars?

Cars are getting quite expensive to buy nowadays, no thanks in part to the advanced technologies and the copious amounts of componentry that are needed in order to make these cars fuss-free and ready to drive. 

Computers are everywhere in cars, from the engine to the infotainment system, but advanced safety features are also a part of the reasons why cars are getting so much more expensive. Of course, you can drive without these features, but some people will argue that advanced radar, cameras, and other pieces of technology saved them from an accident—rendering them “absolutely necessary.” 

Top-of-the-line prices for cars are skyrocketing, and we’ve also noticed that media, reviewers, critics, and even your average car buyer tend to complain or notice if a brand doesn’t bring in a top-spec car with adaptive cruise control, forward collision assist, or lane keep assist among a host of other things. Frankly, our expectations are similar because these advanced features add a ton of value to the vehicle, however, is the price jump really worth it? 

At first glance, and to the driving purist, driving aids might not be the best thing in the world. To your average driver, having these safety features puts your mind at ease just in case you’re caught slipping while driving. We will admit that some safety features feel gimmicky at first, or downright weird, that is until we experience it first-hand.

Take for example Subaru’s EyeSight system, particularly the driver attention alert function. The rationale behind this feature is to ensure that the person behind the wheel doesn’t doze off and create a big problem for his passengers. Driver attention alerts may be gimmicks to some, but for the many who spend a whole lot of time on the road: tired, fatigued, and overworked, a gentle reminder that you’re tired may just be enough to save you from getting into a fender bender or worse. 

For us, it’s definitely not a gimmick. Cars are smarter than ever, and even new companies like GAC, are throwing their hat in the ring and offering advanced features on their vehicles. 

One big reason why most companies want to field a car with advanced safety features is to promote safety (obviously). It’s not unlike Toyota to push out a marketing campaign for its products with the veil of safety. While most marketing endeavors might not mix well with some people, we like it when brands advocate safety and push products that fit the bill when it comes to preventing and protecting you from accidents. 

Think about it this way: Humans are imperfect. As such, having computer intervention and assistance to fill in those imperfect gaps makes for an overall safer drive. People will err and bump their cars. Accident statistics state that Philippine roads are getting more dangerous. In 2011, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) stated that there were 7,983 road traffic deaths in 2011. Ten years later, the number jumped by 39 percent, totaling 11,096 deaths in 2021. It’s troubling to see that statistic climb up, but with the prices of brand-new cars, is it better to just pay attention more or pay more upfront for the latest and greatest variant in the lineup? 

You will have to pay through the nose in order to get a car with an advanced safety system. On average, most brands will charge close or up to six figures going from the mid-trim to the top trim. There was a time when the “safest” cars in the lineup were the most expensive ones. If you wanted five-star safety, you’d have to go with the top-spec with all the features. We say “five-star” because the New Car Assessment Programs (NCAPs) tend to pick the top-spec trim as headliners for a nameplate. We’ll get a few tests for mid-tier models from time to time, but if you want a four or five-star crash rating, chances are that score was assigned to the models with all the advanced features since bodies like the ASEAN NCAP have scoring systems and inclusions for system detection and more. 

More frugal and more conscientious buyers would find themselves in the middle of the pack when it comes to choosing the right variant. You don’t want a car to be devoid of features, but you don’t want to overpay for a top-of-the-line variant only to ignore most of the tech installed. Striking a balance between your budget and your car’s feature set is important, if safety is one of your concerns, being price-locked from the safest variant doesn’t feel too good. 

Thus, it’s actually good to see that several brands like Nissan in particular, are putting an emphasis on safety even at the lower end of the lineup. Models like the Navara—surprisingly—have forward collision warning. Forward collision warning is one of the more useful safety features out there in our opinion. However, there are others still that offer the full suite of safety features in all variants across the lineup, as is the case with Honda and its City. 

In actuality, it looks like some brands are trending towards the standardization of these advanced safety features for select models so fewer customers will be short-changed, and in return, the brands can get an edge when it comes to specs. 

In actuality, it looks like some brands are trending towards the standardization of these advanced safety features for select models so fewer customers will be short-changed, and in return, the brands can get an edge when it comes to specs. 

Even if you have all those safety systems, there are a few things that we’ve noticed in some cars that don’t give these safety suites the best reputation. Some owners and reviewers have stated that some brands make their system chimes and warnings extra annoying or unnecessary. Other times, these systems can feel unrefined or even incomplete. Some cars are a little too sensitive, braking, stopping, and detecting things even if no imminent danger is posed. Other times, the system glitches, and fails to stop a car in time among other things.

We have to remember that these features are also prone to holes and errors from time to time. Not all brands have the wealth of knowledge and data to back up their safety suites so it’s very important now especially that you at least read a review, book a test drive, or get a second opinion about a car and how its safety features play into the experience. 

Even if a car has top-spec features and technology, execution is also important. It doesn’t matter if you have the best features in the market if they don’t work when you need them to. Again, it is best to consult with someone or test out the car for yourself before pulling the trigger. 

For us, it’s worth it if it is good, but if it’s not, there are plenty of other aspects that can make a car worth it. If you are making an upgrade choice based on the added safety features, then you have to make sure that those advanced items are all refined and usable because there are some cars that won’t mesh well with some people or aren’t refined compared to their competitors. There are also brands that standardize their suites for all the variants of a particular model. In this case, yes, it is definitely worth it and you should be incentivized to buy the car. 

We like to say that you can’t put a price on safety, but we cannot deny that absolute safety can get quite expensive, however, do consider it when purchasing a new car, make sure that you also learn how to use it, and make sure that the system on the car that you are purchasing is good. If you take the leap, however, know that you’re probably going to get an extra layer of protection that addresses some to most of your inattentiveness thus preventing an accident or allowing for an even more convenient drive.