Opinion 14 40% of buyers received no explanation of ADAS when purchasing their vehicle Could self-driving taxis finally make motorists understand ADAS? With applications open for self-driving passenger services in the UK, Adam Molloy, Operations Director and Co-Founder of A1 ADAS Group, considers whether autonomous vehicles could do more to improve public understanding of ADAS than years of industry messaging ever has. Self-driving taxis have spent years sitting somewhere between technology showcase and science fiction. But the conversation changed in May when applications opened for companies wanting to operate self-driving taxi and bus-style passenger services on UK roads. The timing is significant. Alongside the Government opening applications for autonomous passenger services, companies including Waymo have already begun testing vehicles on London roads. Whether widespread adoption arrives quickly or not, autonomous vehicles are no longer a distant concept. For the first time, they are something the public may soon experience for themselves. The Government says human error contributes to 88% of road collisions, which is one of the reasons autonomous technology is being viewed as a potential safety breakthrough. But can motorists be asked to trust a vehicle to drive itself when many still don’t fully understand the driver assistance systems already fitted to their own vehicle? For the aftermarket, that may be the most important question of all. For years, ADAS technology has become more capable, more widespread and more influential in vehicle safety. Yet public understanding has struggled to keep pace. Most drivers know their vehicle has features such as lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking or blind spot monitoring. Many will have experienced those systems intervening at some point. What fewer drivers understand is that these systems rely on cameras, radars and sensors being able to accurately interpret the world around them. They also rely on those systems remaining correctly calibrated throughout the vehicle’s life if they are to perform as manufacturers intended. That knowledge gap isn’t entirely the fault of motorists. Research suggests 40% of buyers received no explanation of ADAS when purchasing their vehicle, leaving many drivers to learn about the technology through experience rather than education. As a result, many experience ADAS as a collection of beeps, warnings and occasional interventions rather than understanding the technology and safety benefits sitting behind them. This is where self-driving taxis could have an interesting and perhaps unexpected impact. A public turning point for ADAS awareness Most motorists don’t think in terms of automation levels or technical definitions. They simply see a vehicle doing more of the driving task than they expected. For the first time, many members of the public may directly experience a vehicle making driving decisions for itself rather than simply assisting in the background. That experience has the potential to change how people think about vehicle technology. Self-driving taxis and the ADAS systems fitted to everyday vehicles are not the same thing. However, they are part of the same direction of travel. Both rely on sensors, software, cameras, radar systems and precise vehicle data. Both depend on the vehicle understanding its surroundings. Both ultimately rely on safety-critical systems operating exactly as intended. As autonomous passenger services become more visible, motorists may start asking more questions about the technology already fitted to their own vehicles. That could be a positive development for the aftermarket. Why greater awareness matters to workshops At present, many workshops still find themselves having to explain why calibration is required following certain
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