ADAS is here to STAY 

    In the ever changing world of technology, the vehicles of today have become a rolling computer centers. Vehicles that monitor traffic all around you, optimizes cruise control, and warn you if you sway outside your lane and over into another lane. Advanced Driver - Assistant System (ADAS) is an electronic system that assists drivers in driving and parking functions. ADAS increases car and road safety through a safe human-machine interface. Traffic has never been busier and drivers are more stressed than ever. Driving on today's roads is at an all time risk.

  

  ADAS will help in an increasing role in reducing the number of  vehicle accidents on the road today and into the future. Statistics show that 90 percent of collisions are caused by human error. Here are some of the ways that ADAS can alert drivers to dangers around them on the road today.

    Frontal Collision Warnings:

    

    As a vehicle travels down the road, the ADAS system scans out in front of the vehicle and calculates the current braking distance between the vehicle in front and the driver of the scanning vehicle. When the driver gets to close to another vehicle in front, the ADAS will give out an alert to slow down and add distance between the two vehicles. If a driver is using the cruise control option, the ADAS can be set to stay within a desired number of car lengths behind the vehicle in front. The ADAS system will automatically adjust the driver's speed to stay that specified distance back.

    Lane Departure Warnings:

    

    The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Found that lane departure systems reduce injury    crashes by 21 percent. Lane departure systems will alert the driver when the vehicle begins to veer        out of their lane and into another.

     

    There are several variations of this technology and some of the most advanced systems will take    over the vehicle and steer the vehicle back into the proper lane. These systems utilize cameras  mounted on the front windshield and process the lane markings on the road as the vehicle travels forward.

 

    Check out this video from the IIHS for an overview on how lane departure works:

    

    Pedestrian Detection:

    

    Pedestrian detection systems alert the driver when an object (person, bicyclist, or animal) enters the path of the vehicle. Many systems today will actually apply the brakes, stopping the vehicle. Much like the Lane Departure Warning System, this system also uses cameras mounted on the upper front windshield by the rear view mirror. Some newer systems are now using infrared to detect movement at night. The system works best at lower speeds blow 25 mph. There are also sensors mounted in the front and rear bumpers that will detect objects as they come into the path of the moving vehicle. An audible will sound, alerting the driver that an object has been detected.

    Fatigue Detection:

    Fatigue Detection Systems utilize an infrared camera that is pointed directly at the face of the driver's face. The camera is mounted on the dashboard and is able to get a full view of the driver's face without impairing their vision. The camera processes the driver's facial movements and detects sings of fatigue like closed eyes, a yawn, or a bobbing head. When any of these movements are detected, the system will alert the driver with an audible sound. 

    Take a look at this video from EXEROS Technologies: This is an introduction to facial recognition.

    

    Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are growing at an incredible pace. By 2025 most, if not all, vehicles produced in the United States will have some form of ADAS built into the vehicle. ADAS are more likely to increase a driver's awareness and encourage safer driving habits through behavior changes.