> if something suddenly appeared in your drive path, and if you are paying attention you can press the accelerator within a second or so.

So if something appears in your path, the right course of action is to accelerate into it?

within a second or so is great but not if you have 1/4 second time to respond.

> If the person behind you has adequate following distance it shouldn't be a problem.

Nice assumption.

> If the car loses power entirely then it gives you a few seconds warning in which you may or may not be able to cross to the shoulder before the car coasts to a stop.

may or may not indeed.