The Problem With Lane-Keeping
Night freeway. Lines glow. You hit the lane-keep button and expect calm. Instead, the wheel hunts, kisses the paint, and nags you. That’s today’s lane-keeping. ADAS promises less stress and gives you more babysitting. AAA’s 2025 tests found drivers had to take over a lot in traffic. IIHS shows many systems also fail basic driver-monitoring. The badge is ahead of the code.
The IIHS found in their assessment of 14 partial automation systems, revealing that only 1 earned an acceptable safety rating, with the majority rated poor due to deficiencies in safeguards, driver monitoring, emergency procedures, and safety feature integration
Lane-Keeping Feels Like Babysitting, Not Driving Assistance
On paper, adaptive cruise handles pace and lane-centering handles the lines. In traffic, the weak spots show fast: faded paint, sharp merges, tall trucks, glare, rain. Some cars wobble until they give up. Others ride the zipper. That’s not help. That’s work. AAA’s engineers logged frequent driver interventions. “Inadequate lane centering” came up again and again.
Bad Lane-Keeping Adds Stress Instead of Removing It
This isn’t about horsepower or 0–60. It’s comfort and trust. Smooth, steady steering lowers your pulse. Ping-pong steering raises it. The best systems feel calm and hand control back cleanly. Too many still nag, weave, or check out when things get messy. Any fuel-economy gain gets taxed by stress.
Pretty Graphics Can’t Hide Poor Lane-Keeping Performance
Every cabin shows pretty lane graphics and a steering icon. Cool. But does the car actually stay centered and keep you engaged? IIHS grades your car on that second part. Only one system scored “acceptable.” Most were marginal or poor at watching the driver and stopping misuse. People keep lane-departure on; the usage is there. The results aren’t. And that’s on the brands; if you think to engage it, they need to make sure it has your back.
My Verdict
Hands up. Hopes down. Until tuning gets better—and driver-monitoring gets tougher—treat lane-keeping as assist, and even then don’t bet your life or anyone else’s on it. It is not any kind of autopilot. On a test drive, turn it on. If it weaves, nags, or bails early, skip the option and spend the money on tires or better seats. Buy the car you love to drive. Let ADAS earn your trust by getting better, not by asking for it.
