Automotive safety tech is pretty easy to wrap your head around, but advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are a bit harder to define. At the moment, the debate is are really necessary anti-lock brakes is virtually non-existent, but many technologies classified as ADAS are still seen as luxuries or even fun curiosities.
The problem is that advanced driver assistance systems are systems and functions that provide the driver with the necessary information, automate complex or repetitive tasks in order to provide an overall increase in car safety for everyone on the road. Because these systems are so diverse, it’s not always easy to see how some of them actually relate to security.
Some advanced driver assistance systems have been around for a long time and have been proven time and time again to improve the quality of driving or improve overall road safety. For example, GPS navigation is becoming more common in OEM infotainment systems since its inception in the 1990s. You won’t find many drivers yearning for the paper card days, but other advanced driver technologies seem a little more esoteric.
Many advanced driver assistance systems are at the forefront of new automotive technology, and some of them are still unresolved. Some of these systems will have plenty of power and you can expect to see at least a few of them in your next car. Others may fail and disappear or be replaced by better implementations of the same basic idea. Since ADAS is based on electronics and often includes embedded software elements, the development of these advanced systems is governed by international safety standards such as IEC-61508 and ISO-26262.
Advanced driver assistance systems are tweaked every year, but here are thirteen different options you might want to check out the next time you’re in the new car market.
Adaptive cruise control
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This advanced driver assistance technology is particularly useful on the highway, where drivers otherwise have to constantly monitor their cruise control systems for safety reasons. With advanced cruise control, the vehicle automatically slows down or accelerates in response to the vehicle or truck in front of it. Most of these systems are automatically disabled below a certain speed threshold, but others can even be used when stopped and moving.
Adaptive light control
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Adaptive lighting control systems are designed to help drivers see better and further in the dark. This advanced driver assistance technology allows the headlights to be swiveled and swiveled to better illuminate the roadway in corners and other circumstances.
Automatic braking
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Auto Braking is a pre-collision technology designed to reduce the risk of high speed collisions in the event that the driver loses their attention. While some automatic braking systems may actually prevent collisions, they are generally designed to slow the vehicle down to a level where less damage is done and loss of life is unlikely.
Automatic parking
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Auto parking systems vary from one OEM to another, but most are designed for driver parallel parking. Some of these systems can actually do all the work automatically, while others simply give advice so that the driver knows when to turn the steering wheel and when to stop.
Blind Spot Detection
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Blind spot detection systems use a variety of sensors to provide the driver with vital information that would be difficult or impossible to obtain by any other means. Some of these systems will sound an alarm if they sense the presence of an object in the blind spot, while others will turn on cameras that can send an image to the head unit or another monitor.
Collision avoidance systems
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Collision avoidance systems use various sensors to determine if a vehicle is in danger of colliding with another object. These systems can usually detect the proximity of other vehicles, pedestrians, animals, and various obstacles on the road. When the vehicle is in danger of colliding with another object, the collision avoidance system will alert the driver. Some of these systems may also perform other preventive actions, such as pre-charging the brakes or tightening seat belts.
Driver sleepiness detection
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Driver drowsiness or alertness detection systems use a variety of methods to determine if a driver’s attention is beginning to wander. Some of these systems look for the driver’s head to nod in telltale motion that indicates drowsiness, while others use technology similar to lane detection warning systems.
GPS navigation
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GPS navigation systems are effectively replacing bulky, unwieldy paper maps. These devices are often also capable of providing voice guidance, eliminating the need for the driver to actually look at the screen. Some GPS navigation systems also provide real-time traffic data that drivers previously had to get by listening to news radio stations.
Hill Descent Control
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Hill Descent Control is an advanced driver assistance technology that makes it easier to descend steep slopes. These systems usually work by activating the brakes to automatically decelerate the vehicle, which works through the same basic mechanism that allows ABS , TCS and other technologies to function. Some hill descent control systems allow speed changes using the cruise control system, and these can usually be overridden by pressing the brake or accelerator.
Intelligent speed adaptation
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This advanced driver assistance system relies on a variety of information to help the driver maintain legal speeds. Because these systems monitor the current speed and compare it to the local speed limit, they only work in certain areas.
Lane Departure Warning Systems
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Lane departure warning systems use a variety of sensors to make sure a vehicle does not accidentally leave its lane. If the system determines that the vehicle is drifting, it will sound an alarm so that the driver can take corrective action in time to avoid colliding with another vehicle or running off the road. Lane keeping assist systems go a step further and are actually able to take small corrective actions without driver input.
The night vision
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Night vision systems allow drivers to see things that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to see at night. There are many different implementations that can be categorized as active and passive. Active night vision systems emit infrared light, while passive systems rely on thermal energy that comes from cars, animals and other objects.
Tire pressure monitoring
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Tire pressure monitoring systems provide the driver with information about the inflation level of each tire. Since the only other way to know tire pressure is to get out of the car, get down to the ground and physically check each tire with a pressure gauge, this greatly improves convenience.