ADAS have the potential to remove human error from the equation on the journey to zero-accident mobility. In addition, the evolution of more powerful cockpit architectures allows for the pre-integration of ADAS functionality in Digital Cockpits. ADAS uses sensors in the vehicle such as radar and cameras to perceive the world around it, and then either provides information to the driver or takes automatic action based on what it perceives. ADAS features that provide information will most commonly include “warning” in the name.
If the vehicle detects an object such as another vehicle in a location where the driver may not be able to see them, features such as blind spot warning or rear backup warning will alert the driver. Likewise, if the system determines that the vehicle is drifting out of its lane, it could activate lane departure warning to alert the driver.
When these detections are coupled with a technology that takes action beyond a simple warning, ADAS becomes an active safety system – meaning the vehicle will “actively” control braking or steering. These features most commonly include “assistance” in the name.