What happened
Consumer Reports (CR) is an independent nonprofit that tests products itself. Between June and September 2020, it put 17 active driving assistance systems through 36 tests on its track and nearby public roads. These systems combine adaptive cruise control with lane keeping to steer and control speed. CR tested Audi's system on an Audi e-tron and published the results on 28 October 2020. It found that Tesla did best at lane keeping and that Audi, Cadillac and Lincoln performed almost as well. It also rated Audi among the best at controlling speed. Audi scored 8 of 10 for capability and performance, behind Tesla's 9. It scored 3 of 10 for keeping the driver engaged and 2 of 10 for making clear when it is safe to use. CR found that it could be switched on in residential areas on roads with only a center line. Its total of 48 ranked fourth of 17. The tests measured behavior and no crash outcomes.
Sources
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Assessment report, by authors with no tie to the system.
Mike Monticello, Consumer Reports. Cadillac's Super Cruise Outperforms Other Driving Assistance Systems. 28 October 2020. Ratings from tests by Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center of 17 active driving assistance systems, June to September 2020. Section on capability and performance.
Systems that scored the best at controlling the car's speed were those from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche, which have options in the menu for drivers to select how quickly the ACC speeds up and slows down.
When it comes to lane keeping assist, Tesla did the best in our tests. But systems from Audi, Cadillac, and Lincoln performed almost as well.
Details
AI system
- Workflow
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Adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance worked together to steer and control speed. Menu settings let the driver choose how quickly the cruise control sped up and slowed down. CR scored each system in 36 tests on its track and nearby public roads.
Follow-up
- Conditions for replication
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The driver keeps watching the road, since CR found that none of the systems reacted well to construction, potholes or objects in the road. The driver uses the system only where it is safe, since CR found that it could run on residential roads with only a center line.
Entry details
- Sector
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Road vehicle driver assistance.
- Purpose
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Audi built Audi Driver Assistance Plus to keep the car centered in its lane and at a set distance behind other vehicles while the driver supervises.
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Cite this record
Peter H. Vartanian. (2026). Audi Driver Assistance Plus steers well but engages drivers weakly (AIBD-1098). Artificial Intelligence Benefits Database, edition of 1 November 2026. https://petervartanian.xyz/aibd/records/AIBD-1098.html (archived at https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/AADSII, version 7.0)