The hi-tech kit keeping us safe
Assistance systems: Modern cars are packed with a variety of driver aids and systems, but what do you need to know about them? Jack Evans explains.
Assistance systems are acorepartofhow modern cars keep their occupants as safe as possible. You might have noticed terms like ‘assisted driving’ have started to become more commonplace in the motoring industry, but actually deciphering what these systems do can prove to be a little confusing.
So, let’s dive in and take a look at some of the key assistance systems you need to know about…
ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Adaptive cruise control takes the fundamentals of the tried-and-tested system and takes things one step further. So whereas standard cruise control is locked at the desired speed, adaptive systems can speed up or slow down the car depending on traffic and the route. For instance, if you’ve set the system to maintain 70mph on the motorway but a slower car moves out in front of you, the vehicle will automatically slow down before speeding up once that slower car has moved out of the way.
AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING
AEB is a core part of assistance packages in new cars. In fact, Euro NCAP has this system as one of its key requirements for a car to achieve a five-star safety rating. The system works by monitoring the road ahead, and can automatically apply the brakes should it believe that the driver isn’t responding quickly enough. Plus, if a driver was momentarily distracted, the system can prevent an accident from taking place.
BLIND SPOT WARNING
This warning system helps solve a problem that’s a common issue – losing a vehicle in your ‘blind spot’. It works by using radar sensors to ‘see’ cars moving into your blind spot and will light up a small indicator in the side mirrors to warn you. Plus, if the driver goes to indicate with a vehicle still in the blind spot, the lights will flash to alert them.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL
ESC has actually been around for a little while now. It works in conjunction with the anti-lock braking system to detect when a slide is beginning to happen. By applying small amounts of braking force it can help the driver to keep control of the vehicle. This could occur during wet weather, for instance, or when the driver is taking evasive action.
FORWARD COLLISION ALERT
A car’s Forward Collision Alert system, much like others here, relies on forward-mounted radars to detect the distance from the vehicle in front. If it finds that the car ahead is slowing down quickly and that the driver isn’t doing enough to slow down appropriately, it will sound an audible warning and flash an alert on the main screen. This is a particularly useful function on motorways, where traffic can very quickly – and unpredictably – slow down.
HIGH BEAM ASSIST
This works to provide the best possible illumination at night without dazzling other road users. It operates by automatically switching between main and dipped beams, changing between the two seamlessly and without any driver intervention. Some cars can even have the capability of leave the light on full beam, with the system automatically ‘splitting’ the light so oncoming road users can still see.
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING
Lane Departure Warning is a system designed to prevent people from straying into other lanes accidentally. It’s able to ‘see’ the white lines in the road and will automatically sound a warning should it detect the car straying over it without the indicators being activated. Most versions use a camera mounted just in front – or even attached to – the rear view mirror.
LANE KEEP ASSIST SYSTEM
LKAS has been a hot topic lately, as it’s one of the ways in which a car can effectively ‘steer’ itself. It has the same features as the Lane Departure Warning system, but if it notices that the car is going off-course, it will automatically ‘steer’ the vehicle back into the lane. However, this is far from ‘self-driving’. The driver must have their hands on the wheel and the system will sound an alert if it thinks that the driver isn’t in full control.
REAR CROSS-TRAFFIC ALERT
This system is becoming far more commonplace in vehicles and is an exceptionally bit of tech. It can help when reversing out of relatively blind spaces, where you’re unable to clearly see if the road is clear to either side. If, for instance, it detects a car approaching from the side, it’ll sound an alert for the driver. Again, it uses rear-mounted sensors to achieve this.