How driver-assist tech can result in a $5,000 fender bender

Enlarge / Parking assist in action in a BMW 640i GT. (credit: Eric Bangeman)

You know all that safety stuff on new cars? Lane-keep assist? Adaptive cruise control? It has a downside… if you get in an accident.

Cars with advanced driver-assistance technology are more expensive to repair than their less-autonomous counterparts, according to a study by AAA. What would have been relatively inexpensive bodywork due to a fender bender may end up costing two-and-a-half times as much to repair, due to the location of cameras along with ultrasonic and radar sensors.

“Advanced safety systems are much more common today, with many coming as standard equipment, even on base models,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “It’s critical that drivers understand what technology their vehicle has, how it performs and how much it could cost to repair should something happen.”