Car Dealers Are Uneducated About Vehicle Safety Features- Almost Dangerously So

How do you use all these gadgets again?

What are you getting when you buy a new car as far as safety features? Who knows. Especially not Wired reports that just six of the 17 salespeople gave “thorough” explanations of the technologies in the vehicles they were selling in undercover research done by MIT.
the person who sells it to you, apparently.

According to the researchers, four salespeople gave “poor” descriptions of safety features and at least two provided information that was so incorrect that it could be dangerous. For instance, one told an undercover "buyer" that Ford’s pedestrian detection technology works at all speeds. It actually doesn't turn on until the vehicle hits 30 mph.

Another salesperson said drivers did not have to brake while using Chevrolet’s parking assist tech. Uh, yeah they do.

As the shift toward cars that drive themselves accelerates, the lack of knowledge could get worse,
with one likely outcome being that drivers will just turn off systems they don’t understand and not using potentially life-saving technology. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says, a 2016 study found that of 265 Hondas brought in for servicing at dealerships in and around Washington, DC, less than a third still had their lane departure warnings turned on.

The bottom line? I guess it would be to do your own research no matter what a salesperson tells you. When you are spending that much money, you want to be able to use your vehicle to it's full potential.