Two people were killed and eleven others injured in a multi-vehicle crash on the Tongyeong-Daejeon Expressway, with the use of cruise control by the SUV driver becoming a key focus of the investigation. The driver of the sports utility vehicle (SUV) initially stated that he was using the cruise control feature but later changed his account, prompting police to verify whether it was actually engaged.
According to the Jangsu Police Station in North Jeolla Province, authorities are investigating the SUV driver, identified as A, on charges of causing death and injury under the Special Act on Traffic Accidents.
A is accused of colliding with a passenger car near the Jangsu junction at 12:55 p.m. on October 12, resulting in two fatalities and eleven injuries. The impact caused three additional vehicles to crash, bringing the total to five vehicles involved in the incident.
Initially, A claimed he was driving with the cruise control activated but later retracted that statement.
To determine whether the cruise control was functioning at the time of the accident, police have sent the vehicle's event data recorder (EDR) to the National Forensic Service for analysis. They plan to examine the driving speed, braking status, and whether A violated his duty to pay attention while driving.
A formal investigation of A has not yet taken place. A police official stated, "A is receiving treatment at the hospital, so we have not been able to obtain a proper statement. Once his condition improves, we will investigate the cruise control's operation and the circumstances of the accident in detail."
Cruise control is a feature that automatically maintains a set speed to reduce the driver's workload. Standard cruise control does not adjust for the distance to the vehicle ahead, while adaptive cruise control (ACC) can detect the leading vehicle and adjust speed using radar or cameras.
However, ACC does not prevent collisions in all situations. It may fail to detect hazards or slow down adequately in congested traffic, sudden lane changes, or when encountering stopped vehicles.
Cruise control is not fully autonomous; it is a driver assistance feature. Drivers must remain vigilant and be prepared to brake or steer in unexpected situations.
According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, there were 30 traffic accidents involving cruise control on highways from 2021 to 2025, resulting in 20 fatalities and 20 injuries. However, this statistic only accounts for accidents that occurred while the feature was in use and does not imply that cruise control caused the accidents. The connection between the use of the feature and the cause of this incident has yet to be established.
Police plan to combine the analysis results from the National Forensic Service with A's statements to clarify the driving conditions and the exact cause of the accident.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.