If you took someone from the 1970s and stuck them behind the wheel of a modern car, it would be hilarious to see their reaction to all the tech at their disposal.
As well as touchscreens and connected tech, modern cars feature advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that help keep us safe on the road.
From adaptive cruise control to lane-keeping assist, this blog explores how ADAS works and its benefits.
One of the main anxieties caused by driving is being involved in an accident that was due to human error. This is what ADAS tries to prevent.
It's an umbrella term for a range of different safety systems that use sensors, lasers, cameras, and artificial intelligence to work with the driver to help prevent accidents and keep us safe on the road.
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is perfect for those who do a lot of motorway driving. Similar to conventional cruise control, ACC can maintain the steady speed that you set. However, it furthers this by adjusting the speed of your car to match the speed in front of you.
If the car in front slows down, so does your car. If it speeds up, so do you.
Automatic emergency braking (AEB) uses sensors, cameras, or radar to identify the potential for a collision with an object in your path. If the system sees a danger, it will alert the driver or even take preventive measures such as tightening seat belts and reducing speed.
Lane-Keeping Assist does what it says on the tin. It uses sensors to detect the lane and engages light steering to direct drivers away from the edge and towards the centre of the lane.
Your car might also come with lane-departure warning, which warns you if you're crossing the white lines on either side of the lane.
Blind-spot assist detects if there's another vehicle in your car's blind spot. If a car is there for more than a few seconds, it will alert the driver.
Rear cross-traffic alert is designed to alert drivers to potential hazards that are approaching from the sides when the vehicle is in reverse. Like blind-spot assist, the car will alert the driver if an obstacle is in the way.
If you've learned to drive in a car with hill-start assist, you don't know how lucky you are! Hill-start assist holds the brakes on for a moment after your foot leaves the brake and goes to the throttle, thus preventing the car from rolling back.
Active or adaptive headlights automatically switch between full and dipped beams if they notice oncoming traffic. It will also control the vehicle's headlights to external lighting conditions.
Road sign recognition uses a camera on the front of the car to spot and interpret road signs. This will then project an image of the sign on the digital driver's display to ensure the driver is aware of the sign.
Remember the scene in Mr. Bean's Holiday when he was sleepy driving? Hilarious, but seriously dangerous. Driver-attention detection would prevent this.
By using cameras and sensors, the car can determine whether the driver is paying enough attention to the road. If it thinks they aren't, it will alert the driver through an audible, visual, or vibration.
Automatic parking is probably our favourite ADAS. It helps inform the driver of unseen areas so they know when to turn the wheel or stop. There's a range of technology that could be included in automatic parking, such as rearview cameras and sensors.
Some more advanced cars may include self-parking technology, which actually parks the car for you.
Looking for more car advice? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts produce a range of blogs on various topics, such as AI Introduced into Our Cars: A Glimpse into the Future and Easy Car Fixes Every Young Driver Should Know.
We are also one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers, offering a range of leasing deals to suit your every need. For more information, check out our leasing deals or call us on 0345 811 9595.
