Smart cars are getting smarter—adaptive cruise control, lane assist, automatic emergency braking, even self-parking. These features promise safer roads and easier commutes, but there’s a growing question: Are they also making us worse drivers?

The Comfort of Convenience

Let’s face it—technology is addictive, especially when it makes life easier. Smart driving features reduce the mental and physical load of driving. You can coast on the highway with cruise control, or let lane assist correct your small drifts. Over time, though, this convenience can lead to complacency. If your car does most of the thinking for you, your own driving skills can start to fade.

Muscle Memory Fades Fast

Driving is a skill built on repetition and reaction. When we’re not fully engaged—like when the car is parking itself or braking automatically—we’re not sharpening our reflexes. This means that in an emergency where the system fails or can’t respond fast enough, we may not be ready to take over effectively.

False Sense of Security

Many drivers overestimate what their smart cars can do. A Tesla with “Autopilot” still needs a fully alert driver. But the branding and smooth handling can lull us into thinking the car is more capable than it really is. That’s when accidents happen—not because of the tech, but because of how we interact with it.

Tech Should Assist, Not Replace

Smart features are meant to assist, not replace your judgment. The best drivers use technology as a backup—not a crutch. Staying alert, keeping your hands on the wheel, and being ready to intervene should still be your default mode, even in the smartest of cars.

Bottom Line

Smart cars are amazing tools, but they shouldn't take away your responsibility—or your skill. Just like calculators didn’t make us forget how to do math (well, most of us), smart cars don’t have to make us worse drivers. But they can, if we let them.