Mispainted Yellow Line On I-95 Fools Driver Assistance Systems

The current group of companies chasing the dream of putting a mass-market driverless car into production has yet to clear several significant hurdles. The current state of semi-autonomous driving technology still has systems being confused by the slightest deviations from standard road markings. A mispainted yellow line has caused problems recently on an interstate highway in Florida for cars equipped with driver assistance technology.

I Need To Replace My Beloved Chevy Tahoe | What Car Should You Buy?

Drivers in Jacksonville, Florida, were shocked to see a yellow line pained down the middle of Interstate 95. This is the same yellow line typically used to split the shoulder from the lane of travel. WJXT followed the mispainted line for over 20 miles as it meandered between active lanes. The lane departure system on First Coast News’ 2024 Subaru Crosstrek alerted the driver seven times and ultimately attempted to take control of the vehicle.

Mysterious yellow line across I-95 has drivers confused and concerned

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) stated that no company has come forward for the egregious error, but the WJXT followed the yellow line all the way to a company called Acme Barricades. FDOT quickly came up with a temporary solution to get rid of the line. A department spokesperson said, “We’ll utilize a street sweeper with a wire brush to go over the entire stretch of the roadway where the yellow paint is to try to dislodge and loosen it up.”

While the mispainted road marking did cause some confusion for drivers, it didn’t cause any crashes because most people were aware enough to ignore it. Current semi-autonomous systems don’t have the capability to view the entire roadway in context and disregard irregularities.