And if someone is following you too closely, but the lane to your left is clear, so it is in your interest to absorb the slack from someone in front of you turning because you can swerve left if they do something unexpected?

I don't think anyone would complain about these systems if they had all of the context and made good decisions. But it is a problem when either humans or automated systems stand on the brakes based solely on what is in front, without regard for sides or rear.

I do believe these systems are a net win. But they have rough edges that at least cause a lot of near-accidents because they don't behave the way drivers expect each other to.