What are Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)?

In most cases, the objective is to improve safety for the occupants and other road users, but they can also assist the driver with traffic information or enhance non-safety features such as fuel economy.
 
Most common ADAS features include options such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), anti-lock braking, blind-spot monitors, collision avoidance systems, traction and stability control, parking and proximity sensors, tyre pressure monitors and rain sensors that trigger your wipers.
 
The list of common electronic enhancements will only get longer. Features already available in some models include adaptive light control (with lights that follow the curvature of the road), hill-start assistance and hill descent control, intelligent speed adaptation or advice (ISA), lane departure warnings and lane change assistance, traffic sign recognition and fully automatic parking. There are also driver drowsiness sensors and even alcohol detecting ignitions.

Protyre, your ADAS calibration specialists

Protyre offer ADAS calibration at a selection of our garages. Click the button below to find out more about ADAS calibration and make an enquiry with oen of our specialised garages.

In our experience, most of these systems work extremely well, but when they don’t, finding qualified fitters is important. Many need recalibrating even after quite moderate vehicle repairs. However, you will always find properly trained and qualified fitters at Protyre garages.

In our experience, most of these systems work extremely well, but when they don’t, finding qualified fitters is important. Many need recalibrating even after quite moderate vehicle repairs. However, you will always find properly trained and qualified fitters at Protyre garages.

Growing demand

Advanced driver assistance is definitely the future for both premium and budget cars. Since their primary purpose is the safety of road users and pedestrians, there is really no reason to confine these technologies to luxury vehicles (which in many ways are safer to begin with). An increasing number of ADAS features are being required by UK, EU and international law. Vehicles without certain ADAS features will eventually be illegal (unless exempted as veteran or collectible vehicles).
 
Both the EU and US have passed regulations requiring new vehicles to have autonomous emergency-braking systems and forward-collision detection by 2020.
 
Needless to say, there is also plenty of buyer demand for features such as parking assistance. This is understandable, given that it is not easy parking in the UK’s narrow overcrowded streets. Even those who think they’re adept at parking often damage their car by climbing the kerb. Although ADAS features are intended primarily to protect people, they can also reduce damage to our suspension, steering, brakes and tyres.

The downsides

Critics point out two main dangers from this growing dependence on electronics; it can make drivers prone to complacency and vehicles prone to electronic failures.
 
Once upon a time, drivers often had to mend their own vehicles on poorly lit back roads. The reach of breakdown services such as the RAC and AA was not as extensive as it is today, nor did motorists have mobile phones to call for help. Cars often limped home with a broken belt replaced by a stocking. Willing or not, drivers learned some mechanical skills.
 
Modern communications have relieved drivers of that responsibility, while today's cars - even without ADAS - are not so easy to fix. Rubbing a spark plug on a matchbox will probably not improve your timing. Amateur intervention is unlikely to get easier, or safer, as cars become ever more dependent on electronics. Because mechanical alignments may need to be followed by system recalibrations, there is a danger that electronic systems could give misleading information or intervene improperly.
 
So far, statistics seem to confirm that ADAS systems are safer, but competent maintenance will be important.

How should ADAS affect tyre choice?

Theoretically, by constantly optimising your speed to match other traffic you are not only safer but your vehicle will make less use of its brakes, saving fuel and extending tyre life. Much the same can be said of stability and traction control. If automated driving proves safer, it might tip our choices from grip to longer lasting and quieter tyres.
 
Unfortunately, a known challenge for proximity sensors and ACC is poor weather. Rain and snow can shut down the sensors. Aquaplaning is another serious problem: there have been many instances of ACC causing acceleration when tyre contact with the road is diminished by water.
 
Therefore, we advise against moving to more durable tyres at the cost of wet weather grip. On the contrary, owners of smart vehicles should consider choosing tyres with the best possible wet weather performance.
 
The Falken Azenis FK510 or Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun could be good choices, or among winter tyres the Falken Euroall Season AS210. From Pirelli, the Pirelli P Zero Rosso Asimmetrico is an XL option with good grip in the wet, but the Pirelli Carrier and Pirelli Scorpion Verde also have good grip without sacrificing fuel efficiency. Bridgestone offers the very capable Dueler H/P Sport, and Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 as a winter tyre option.

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Protyre stock a wide range of Premium, Mid-range and Budget tyres to suit any customer requirement. Same day fitting is available on many options - click the button below to start searching.

Fully self-driving cars

Many ADAS systems are the same as those used in fully driverless cars. A few driverless cars have already been allowed in the London area but they may or may not be allowed on all our roads sometime in 2021.
 
Uber, Tesla, Google and Fiat Chrysler have all invested heavily in self-driving vehicles. Uber promised "tens of thousands" coming onto the road by 2019, however, some fatal crashes have deterred governments from giving the go-ahead. There have been at least 6 fatalities in the US so far. In Utah, a Tesla failed to "see" a parked fire engine. Accidents have also been caused by drivers falling asleep.
 
The ability to read body language to predict the sudden intentions of other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians is an extraordinary human trait. It’s doubtful an AI will do it better anytime soon.

Next-generation ADAS

The next major step in the development of smart-assisted vehicles is likely to come from wireless connectivity. Once the majority of cars are equipped, they will be able to coordinate with each other using vehicle to vehicle (V2V) protocols. Highways can also be equipped to share “vehicle to Infrastructure” (V2X) information.
 
If these technologies go to plan, there will come a day when Britain’s highways will run at near optimum efficiency.
 
In the meantime, we strongly recommend all motorists, with or without ADAS, to call into Protyre garages for regular service checks or to use our online booking form.