Can driving aids make you a worse driver?

New research will investigate whether driving aids can actually make your driving worse, according to What Car?

Motor research centre Thatcham will be looking into whether driver aids such as adaptive headlights, automatic breaks and cruise control help people drive well, or turn them into worse drivers.

Matthew Avery, manager of Thatcham's crash laboratory, said that driving aids could encourage drivers to pay less attention or take more risks, because they assume the car "will always get them out of trouble".

He hopes that the data will prove which aids have benefits that outweigh any potential draw backs, and encourage car manufacturers to extend these features across their models. This could, in turn, reduce insurance premiums for drivers.

Avery believes the future is in cars with safety systems that prevent accidents happening. Talking of the new Volvo S60 he said: "This is almost a car we couldn't crash. This really is the future of safety – we're at the beginning of a revolution."

According to What Car?, this has already been achieved with stability control. With the number of cars fitted with this as standard growing, 380 lives a year are saved, 11000 serious injuries are prevented and there are 7800 fewer road accidents.

The results of the research could see an increase in people looking to sell a car for cash to allow them to upgrade to a safer model that boasts the best safety features and, as a result, cheaper insurance premiums.

Francis Monger, Thatcham, FORD MONDEO ESTATE

Doug Noble, Edinburgh, Renault Clio