Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

Calum Thompson, Group Aftersales Director at Vertu Motors, has given his opinion on the top four technologies you need in your car starting from the viewpoint that almost all new cars will have some ADAS but it’s not easy to know which are worthwhile for the types of journey you will make. Knowing which will improve your driving experiences and which will forever remain little buttons you’ve never pressed because you don't know what they'll do, is understandably important.

Adaptive Cruise Control
With 18% of all collisions being due to drivers’ failure to judge speeds, one of the best systems you can invest in is adaptive cruise control. This can monitor the speed of the car in front of you and adapt your speed to help maintain a safe distance between your front bumper and the back of another car. A great feature for anybody who regularly travels long distances via motorways.

Blind Spot Monitoring
Another good feature to look out for is blind spot monitoring considering that 34% of all collisions are due to drivers not looking properly before pulling out. This system involves sensors installed in your wing mirrors that alert you when another vehicle is in your blind spot. Some systems can even anticipate potential collisions and engage steering control, or issue an alert to prevent a collision.

Driver Alertness Detection
With nearly two-thirds of all collisions being due to driver error, it is little wonder that one of the more popular ADAS is driver alertness detection. This system can monitor your steering patterns, vehicle positioning, and in some cases where the driver is looking. It will alert you if it feels that you are not paying enough attention and will encourage you to take a break.

Parking Assist
With 25% of all insurance claims relating to collisions at low speed or during parking, it’s no surprise the popularity of parking assist. This can range from ultrasonic sensors which monitor the space around you and notify you if you are close to hitting something, to semi- automated systems which are able to measure the space and take over the brakes and steering for you. They are particularly beneficial for drivers navigating busy urban areas and manoeuvring into tight multi-storey parking spots.

You can find out about other features by visiting the ADAS Hub.