What is ADAS Technology and How Does Its Features Improve Driver Safety?

November 23, 2020

Over the years, vehicle safety has become one of the most important areas in which the automotive industry has heavily invested in. Considering there was once a time where cars didn’t have a windscreen, safety technology of the 20th century has come a long way.

Automotive safety technology has advanced in many ways, with modern car safety features significantly reducing the likelihood of a collision or accident, while providing a smooth and efficient drive.

These new technologies, which are integrated into the vehicle, help automate, facilitate and assist the driver for safer and better driving. The technology is known as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS for short, and helps drivers avoid on-road collisions by alerting the driver of any potential hazards.

If you’re on the hunt for a new car there are plenty of ADAS safety features to consider that make your drive a safe and comfortable one.

Contents hide

1 What is ADAS Technology and how is it integrated into cars?

2 How is it meant to help with safety?

3 What are the different types of ADAS features?

4 ADAS vs Self Driving technology

5 Examples of car makers and models that feature the best ADAS technology

What is ADAS Technology and how is it integrated into cars?

Advanced driver assistance systems are technological safety features that have been designed to assist drivers in avoiding on-road collisions by alerting them of any potential hazards. This allows the driver to take control of their vehicle in a timely manner, improving their ability to react to dangers on the road.

These days, most vehicles come with standard safety features already installed. You might be familiar with Lane Departure Warning Systems or Blind Spot Warning Systems, which uses microcontrollers, sensors and cameras systems to transmit signals of reflected objects ahead, to the side and to the rear of the vehicle.

How is it meant to help with safety?

ADAS technology has been designed to increase safety and reaction times through potential early warning automated alert systems. Majority of road accidents are typically caused by human error, so these systems have been developed to automate and enhance aspects of driving to correct human error and these driving habits.

The entire purpose of these safety systems is to increase on-road safety and reduce the amount of injuries by decreasing the overall number of traffic accidents.

Below, we explore types of ADAS technologies and how they help improve drivers awareness while on the road.

What are the different types of ADAS features?

Adaptive cruise control

Known for having some of the longest drives in the world, adaptive cruise control comes especially handy in Australia. This advanced driver assistance system allows drivers to set a speed, and using radar sensors and cameras to gauge the distance in the vehicle in front, it will automatically apply the brakes and accelerate as required.

With technology advancing, you can now find systems fitted with a stop-and-go function which automatically bring the vehicle to a complete stop behind another car and accelerates back up to speed of the traffic.

Lane departure warning systems

Using forward-facing cameras to monitor the lane lines surrounding your vehicle, this safety feature alerts the driver using visual, audio or vibration warnings through the steering wheel or seat to warn of any incoming danger.

However, the system will not activate when the driver applies the indicators and only triggers when it determines movement is accidental. According to a study by Monash University, lane departure warning systems prevent between 29 to 32% of all run-off road crashes and between 25 to 27% of injured drivers.

You may find various versions of this technology, with some vehicles offering more aggressive or more passive alerts.

Blind spot warning (BSW)

If you have ever experienced a near-miss from not checking your blind spot, you wouldn’t be the first. In fact, 78% of all lane change accidents which happen is because the driver was unaware of the hazard in the new lane. Blind spot warning systems assist the driver in detection and warning of vehicles that are lingering in your blindspot and can’t see.

It creates a tactile warning either visual, audio and or both, to alert the driver that it is unsafe to merge or change lanes. Some systems also provide additional warnings if you have applied your indicators while there is a car in the lane next to you.

Adaptive headlights

Adaptive headlights respond to the vehicle’s speed and rotation of steering wheel to follow the trajectory of the road and improve vision at night by illuminating the side of the road more than the road itself. Being calibrated with the steering wheel, if a lock is applied the projectors in front of the headlight housing will move in sync, adjusting the beam to follow the road and direct lights downwards to avoid glare for oncoming vehicles.

Following distance warning

Following distance warning (FCW) uses a wide range of integrated technology including lasers, radar, infra-red, ultrasonic, visual imaging and sometimes in combination, with cameras to monitor the distance and speed of vehicles directly in front. It will alert the driver with an audible warning of an impending crash with another vehicle or object that is directly in its path.

A study has found that FCW systems have been evaluated to prevent 9 to 53% of all rear-end collisions and between 19 to 60% of injured drivers. Recent findings revealed 69% of owners with FCW were very satisfied with the feature and that 38% said it had helped them avoid a crash.

ADAS vs Self Driving technology

With ADAS technology improving day by day, there may come a time where vehicles control all aspects of driving for a truly ‘self-driving experience’. Also known as autonomous vehicles, fully automated self-driving cars are yet to arrive on Australian shores. Although, we can expect highly autonomous vehicles in Australia in the coming years.

Described by SAE International, there are 5 levels of driving automation, from normal road vehicles to fully autonomous at level 5.

(source: sae.org)

Examples of car makers and models that feature the best ADAS technology

Audi

2020 Audi A4
2020 Audi A5
2020 Audi A6
2020 Audi A7
2020 Audi A8
2020 Audi E-tron
2020 Audi Q3
2020 Audi Q5
2020 Audi Q7
2020 Audi Q8

BMW

2020 BMW 2 Series
2020 BMW 4 Series
2020 BMW i3
2020 BMW X1
2020 BMW X2
2020 BMW Z4
2020 BMW 5 Series
2020 BMW X3
2020 BMW X4
2020 BMW 3 Series
2020 BMW 7 Series
2020 BMW 8 Series
2020 BMW X5
2020 BMW X6
2020 BMW X7

Ford

2020 Ford F-150
2020 Ford Fusion
2020 Ford Edge
2020 Ford Escape
2020 Ford Explorer

Honda

2020 Honda Fit
2020 Honda HR-V
2020 Honda Odyssey
2020 Honda Passport
2020 Honda Pilot
2020 Honda Ridgeline
2020 Honda Accord
2020 Honda Civic
2020 Honda Clarity
2020 Honda CR-V
2020 Honda Insight
2020 Hyundai Kona Electric
2020 Hyundai Elantra GT
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
2020 Hyundai Tucson
2020 Hyundai Ioniq
2020 Hyundai Nexo
2020 Hyundai Palisade
2020 Hyundai Sonata

Kia

2020 Kia Cadenza
2020 Kia Niro
2020 Kia Optima
2020 Kia Sedona
2020 Kia Sorento
2020 Kia Sportage
2020 Kia Stinger
2020 Kia K900
2020 Kia Niro EV
2020 Kia Telluride
2020 Mazda3
2020 Mazda6
2020 Mazda CX-3
2020 Mazda CX-30
2020 Mazda CX-5
2020 Mazda CX-9

Mercedes-Benz

2020 Mercedes-AMG GT
2020 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe
2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
2020 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Talk to our Kalgoorlie team if you require ADAS recalibration after replacing your windscreen.

Not every driver needs ADAS to drive safely, but they do need to tend to a chipped windscreen or cracked windows. Talk to us to get your autoglass problem solved in a matter of hours.