Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has initiated a new research project to investigate why Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) are not achieving their expected impact on road safety in Australia. Despite international evidence supporting the effectiveness of ADAS in reducing accidents, local results have not matched these outcomes.
The study, a collaboration with Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and the iMOVE Co-operative Research Centre, will focus on how Australian drivers interact with ADAS features, including autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance. The research supports the federal government’s National Road Safety Strategy, which targets significant reductions in road fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.
Government figures show that about 1,200 people are killed on Australian roads each year, and roughly 40,000 are seriously injured. Australia has set a target to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries by 2050, known as Vision Zero. The National Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030 outlines measures to reduce road trauma, with involvement from all levels of government and communities.
Shawn Ticehurst, head of the IAG Research Centre, explained that the project will observe drivers as they use ADAS-equipped vehicles to identify behavioural patterns and knowledge gaps. “IAG’s research project will gather unique insights through observing Australian drivers while they’re operating ADAS safety features and identify behavioural barriers or knowledge gaps which could be addressed through greater driver education,” Ticehurst said.
An IAG-commissioned survey found that 70% of respondents would like more information about how to use ADAS to improve safety. The survey also revealed that most drivers learn to use these systems through trial and error, with 60% admitting they have disabled ADAS features in their vehicles at some point. The IAG survey, conducted online in August 2025 with over 2,000 participants, focused on Australian drivers aged 18 and above who use vehicles equipped with ADAS. The results highlight ongoing challenges in driver education and engagement with new vehicle safety technologies.
Ticehurst noted that most Australians with vehicles equipped with ADAS are figuring out how to use these technologies by experimenting while driving. “We are seeking to understand why 60% of Australian drivers surveyed admit to actively turning off the ADAS safety features in their cars, and what might encourage a behavioural shift to help in reducing preventable accident rates,” he said.
The research coincides with new Australian Design Rules that will require all new vehicles sold from March 2025 to include car-to-car Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). By August 2026, car-to-pedestrian AEB will also be mandatory for all new vehicles.
Professor Sebastien Glaser (pictured), who specialises in intelligent transportation systems at QUT, highlighted the rapid growth in ADAS adoption, with projections that 40% of vehicles on Australian roads will feature ADAS by 2031. “Right now, all new vehicles in Australia are equipped with different ADAS features, but we are yet to see their life-saving potential realised. This research project seeks to understand why,” Glaser said. He added that the study will examine whether targeted education on ADAS can lead to measurable improvements in driver behaviour and accident reduction.
Ian Christensen, managing director of iMOVE, commented on the importance of user confidence: “While driver-assist technologies have been shown to reduce accidents and save lives, the safety potential is reduced if drivers lack confidence in using them. To secure the benefits from their deployment, iMOVE is pleased to be working with IAG and QUT to explore the nature of this challenge and deliver better outcomes for the whole community.”
Field studies will be conducted at the RACQ Mobility Centre in Brisbane, where researchers will observe drivers in real-world scenarios. The project will also assess how ADAS performance changes over a vehicle’s lifespan, the effectiveness of ADAS in preventing different types of crashes, and whether radar sensors can be reused after collisions. The findings are scheduled for release in 2026. The research is supported by QUT and iMOVE, both of which bring expertise in transport and mobility research.
