Thatcham Research unveils new guide to ADAS technology
Thatcham Research has produced a series of guides and infographics to help drivers understand ADAS technology.
ADAS features are widespread on modern vehicles and will become even more prevalent in the UK car parc after the government announced in July that 18 safety technologies would be mandated for all mass-produced vehicles.
But while they can provide a range of safety benefits, Thatcham Research believes they are not as effective as they could be due to driver confusion. It says that motorists do not understand what ADAS features their vehicles have or how they work, while many manufactures use different names for the same technology which adds additional confusion.
Its new ADAS Dictionary aims to help drivers make the most of this potentially life-saving technology by improving their understanding of the different systems, what they do and where their limitations lie.
Jacq Paris, research engineer at Thatcham Research, said: “ADAS represents a huge opportunity to improve road safety, but many drivers don’t read the manual and can feel overwhelmed by system names, flashing symbols, beeps, bongs, alerts and vibrations. That can make it harder for drivers to understand ADAS and feel confident using it. Our ADAS Dictionary cuts through some of that complexity, helping drivers familiarise themselves with these systems and what they can, and can’t, do.
“But understanding is only part of the picture. For ADAS to deliver its full safety potential, the systems themselves need to work in ways that drivers find intuitive and useful.”
