I don't know that the argument can be made that AFCI's are not as effective as smoke detectors, they serve two seperate purposes. Smoke detectors announce a fire that begins from any cause, electrical, cooking, smoking, etc. AFCI's prevent electrical fires, if they work. I would rather prevent a fire, than announce a fire. If AFCI's work, the electrical industry should be promoting them as the greatest thing since sliced bread. If they do not work, the manufacturers should be pressured to make them work. If they cannot be made to work, then NFPA should be pressured to remove them as a code requirement.
FRom what I have been able to learn the devices seem to work and there have been relatively few cases of nuisance tripping. If others have had a different experience, let us hear about it.
We, as an industry, either need to promote these as a good idea, or lobby to have them removed from the market.