ADAS – The next step towards safer cars in India

ADAS – The need of the hour

The issue of passenger safety is not only being addressed through increased awareness by Global NCAP tests and government regulations but also through new cutting-edge technologies. A large number of road accidents occur because of human errors. Automotive manufacturers around the globe are spending heavily on developing technologies which can aid in preventing accidents. This is where Advanced Driver Assistance Systems or ADAS, come into the picture.

So, what actually is ADAS?

ADAS consists of electronic systems which assist the driver during driving and parking. The goal of ADAS is to facilitate the driving task and make it safer not only for the person driving the vehicle, but also for others on the streets, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists etc. Furthermore, providing the driver a comforting experience is also one of the tasks of ADAS. A number of important ADAS features exist such as Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Stability Program, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Parking Assist Systems, etc.

ADAS systems use the input from various sensing technologies, and act on the vehicle dynamics (braking, steering) to assist the driver. In Adaptive Cruise Control, for example, when the system detects a vehicle in its way, it automatically slows down the vehicle, and adapts its speed to the preceding vehicle, keeping a safe distance. When the way is clear, the vehicle resumes to its initially set speed. Lane Departure Warning Systems generate audio-visual warnings if the car begins crossing lane markings, and Lane Keeping Assist Systems can even support the driver in keeping the vehicle in the lane. In case of a chance of forward collision with an object or vehicle, the Forward Collision Warning System alerts the driver and Automated Emergency Braking can even slow down the car. In this way, different ADAS features are contributing significantly to enhancing passenger safety.

ADAS – A stepping stone towards future safe mobility in India

Only premium luxury cars provide ADAS features like Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Assistance in India as of now. It is interesting to note that, at the 2018 SIAM annual conference, the Minister for Road and Highway Transport, Mr. Nitin Gadkari said, “By 2022, we will work on a mandate on bringing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in all cars.” This gave an impetus to the developments already being made by Indian car makers. For instance, in April 2019, a South Korean company announced that it concluded a contract for supplying ADAS to one of the top 5 car makers in India. Other ADAS solution providers also started working with the OEMs towards accelerating the use of ADAS features. It is clear that the next step for the automobile industry in India is aimed at improving safety for the passengers as well as the pedestrians and two-wheelers through the use of ADAS.

CAUTION! Just because the car has ADAS doesn’t mean the driver can chill!

Levels of Driving Automation Image Source: https://www.sae.org/news/2019/01/sae-updates-j3016-automated-driving-graphic

SAE International has defined six levels of automation in their document SAE J3016. These levels range from Level 0, i.e. No Automation to Level 5, i.e. fully autonomous driving. ADAS contribute to Level 1 and Level 2, i.e. Partial Driving Automation. In Level 2, the vehicle can control both, steering as well as acceleration/deceleration. It is absolutely necessary though for the driver to be in the driver’s seat, keep the hands on the steering wheel and supervise the support features at all times. The driver must be able to control the vehicle at any time, to maintain safety, if a hazardous situation arises.

There have been numerous instances of drivers not paying attention, being over reliant on driving assistance systems, which ultimately led to fatal crashes. In order to avoid driver overreliance on its assistance systems, the United Nations (UN) Regulation 79 requires vehicles equipped with a lane keeping assist system to detect whether the driver is in control of the steering system. Hands on the steering wheel is considered to be an indicator of the driver being in control of the vehicle. In order to meet the regulation’s “hands off warning” requirements a system which can precisely and robustly classify between hands on/off has to be installed.

ADAS solutions by IEE

IEE has been developing and manufacturing innovative and cutting-edge automotive sensing solutions for more than 25 years. IEE is a global leader in vehicle interior sensing solutions, working closely with car makers around the world and has equipped more than 400 million vehicles worldwide with solutions to either detect occupants or classify them.

The IEE Group also offers a solution to detect whether the driver is in control of the steering system. This solution is known as the Hands-Off Detection (HOD) system which allows the ADAS to alert the driver to take back control of the car. More than 1 million cars have already been equipped with IEE’s HOD sensors.

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