Collision mitigation and winter is a tough mix
Slush and ice put sensors out of commission
While the auto i ndustry news recently has been overflowing with reports of multiple carmakers racing to get their autonomous vehicles to the streets first, it’s often easy to forget we’ve had several key features of self-driv- ing cars for some time now. Under the collision mitigation ( CM) banner, many vehicles ( and not necessarily higher-end units) offer lanekeeping warning or assist, forward ( and rearward) collision warning, automatic braking, pedestrian sensing, adaptive- cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rearview cameras, and parallel parking assist.
It’s clear from statistics that these systems can go a long way to improve traffic safety. But what has also been revealed is how our Canadian winters can turn many of these features into utterly useless technology.
The majority of collision mitigation systems use sensors which detect objects through visual ( cameras), imaging ( radar) or sound ( sonar) methods. When the sensors are covered in ice, snow or road grime they usually can’t do their jobs. Some systems will notify the driver via an i nstrument- panel warning that they’re off-line in these conditions, while other less developed units won’t.
The other major factor that leads to these failures is the lack of clear lane markings on our roads, but even when there are clear marki ngs, the surfaces of the sensors must be cleaned to keep these safety features working correctly. Driving on a snowy day means this can pretty much be a fruitless task, but for the rest of the time, keeping a soft cloth and some windshield washer fluid in the vehicle is the best place to start. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the locations of the various CM sensors on your vehicle. Most owner’s manuals will contain this info, often along with instructions on how to keep them functional.
Front and rear park-assist sensors are usually located in the bumper covers and will appear as circular dimples, evenly spaced across the width of the covers. Most front- collision sensors are located behind the grille and are protected from the elements.
Lane- detection sensors or cameras are often found on the underside of exterior mirrors and can quickly collect road grime and slush. The same goes for rear- view cameras. Never dry- wipe a camera because their lenses can easily be scratched.
Radar sensors for blindspot monitoring and crosstraffic detection are usually found mounted inside metal body panels and are generally trouble-free.