I've said it before in another forum and I'll post it here for the masses:
"Arc-fault breakers are the airbags of the electrical industry."
I would not say that, no matter what info you look at airbags have saved many more lives than they have taken.
Approx 260 deaths have been attributed directly to airbags.
Most estimates of the lives saved are between 10 and 20 thousand. Even if you reduce those figures by 50% assuming they are 'hype' air bags still come out ahead.
In other words air bags routinely do what they are intended to.
I have not seen a single bit of evidence that an AFCI has saved anyone.
I have seen fairly convincing arguments that say by the time you need an AFCI it will be malfunctioning. (Assuming it worked as intended in the first place)
