Drivers confused over upkeep of modern car safety systems

Company Fleet  Driver Guides 

Drivers are increasingly ignoring alerts warning them that essential safety systems in their cars are not working properly, experts warn.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have become commonplace in most modern cars, offering a wealth of hidden safety features to automatically reduce the likelihood of a collision, or minimise its impact.

ADAS systems are increasingly sophisticated, having evolved from simple solutions, such as blind spot warnings, to adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.

Sophisticated sensors that power each system need expert calibration to ensure the car is receiving the correct information, particularly if it has been damaged and repaired.

A recent report from the Institute of the Motor Industry found that nearly 50% of drivers failed to understand the need for accurate ADAS calibration.

Mark Holland, Operations Director of tyre and vehicle servicing network ATS Euromaster, warned: “Drivers really need to understand how ADAS can help their vehicle, but also how it can adversely affect safety if systems are not correctly maintained and calibrated.

“It is concerning that drivers have such limited understanding of how important it is to maintain ADAS systems.” He said it was particularly worrying that 36% of drivers would ignore an ADAS-related warning until the car had its next workshop visit.

Holland added: “I would urge all fleet managers to ensure drivers are aware of the safety systems on their vehicles and when recalibration might be needed. ADAS systems provide critical safety assistance - but their usefulness depends on proper calibration all the time.”

In July, we reported that fleet operators chose collision avoidance technology as the most valuable safety tool available on modern cars.

Advanced driver assistance was chosen by around one-third of companies as the best solution for preventing incidents, followed by automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, driver fatigue warning and lane departure warning.

The safety league table was compiled by Gateway2Lease partner Arval in its 2024 Fleet and Mobility Barometer from the Arval Mobility Observatory.

Common types of ADAS technologies

Lane Departure Warning

Lane Departure Warning automatically alerts the driver when the vehicle drifts out of its lane without a signal. Cameras and sensors detect lane markings and issue warnings, typically vibrating the steering wheel or seat, prompting a driver to act.

Automatic Emergency Braking

Automatic Emergency Braking can apply the brakes when a potential collision is detected. The system uses sensors or radar to detect objects in front of the vehicle and calculates the risk of a collision. If the driver does not respond, the vehicle will intervene to prevent or lessen any impact. Systems typically work at lower speeds in urban environments to prevent collisions with pedestrians, cyclists or even crossing traffic.

Adaptive Cruise Control

Adaptive Cruise Control can automatically adjust a vehicle’s speed to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front, with the following distance typically set by the driver. Using sensors or radars, some Adaptive Cruise Control systems can even function in stop-start traffic to reduce driver fatigue on long journeys and prevent rear-end collisions.

Driver drowsiness detection

Driver drowsiness detection monitors driver behaviour and can spot warning signs of fatigue. This includes steering inputs and how long a driver’s eyes stay closed when blinking. The car will then provide a warning to the driver to take a break.

Image: Pexels

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