In the past five year or so , in advance driver assistance system ( ADAS ) have blow up onto the market place . Even entry - level machine models sometimes come with long lists of high-pitched - tech safety equipment , like automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assistance .
These system are not autopilot — they cannotdo the drive for youin any circumstances — but they do help a lot with visibility and reaction times . However , if anything is block the systems ' cameras , like clay or snowfall , they ca n’t do their job .
Most new railcar today use a compounding of radiolocation sensors , which are hidden behind plastic in the bumper , and optical cameras mounted behind the windscreen . Radar is not too affected by weather or ignition condition , and since these sensors are behind credit card , bugs do n’t really bother them either .
But radar ca n’t see thing like lane markers or make out details . That ’s where the camera come in in . Cameras are better for classifying objects , but they have a harder time " seeing " in bad weather or bad light .
Putting Vehicle Safety Systems to the Test
To test camera functioning of the automatic pinch braking and lane keeping assistance systems in simulated temperate to heavy rain , AAA act with the Automobile Club of Southern California ’s Automotive Research Center . AAA released its findingsOct . 14 .
The four common sport utility they tested , like most Modern car today , used a combination of radio detection and ranging sensors in the bumper and optical cameras hop on behind the windshield . Since pelting does n’t really affect radar , though , the water only require to be spray over the windshields to quiz the cameras . It ’s worth observe too that the track was dry , so the tires had their idealistic hairgrip .
Researchers try out the automatic emergency braking system of rules of vehicle at two low , locality - appropriate speeds and found that at 25 mph,17 percent of the examination runsended in hit . When they increased the focal ratio a bit to 35 mph,33 percentof the test runs end in collision .
So the radar sensors still did their job as well as they could on their own , but without the " eyes " of the television camera , it was n’t ideal .
The lane keeping assistance feature struggled far more . Test fomite veer outside their lanes69 percent of the time . As we screw , radar ca n’t see lane markers , and a camera trying to peer through gruelling pelting ca n’t really see them either .
Testers also simulated windshield by stamping the glass with " a hard solution of bugs and dirt , " harmonize to thefull report we reviewed . Ew . Interestingly , there were no negative impingement for the television camera with this smattering of sludge on the meth . But really , if you ca n’t see very well out of your filthy windscreen , neither can your fancy ADAS . At least get the bug off .
AAA has doneprevious researchshowing that these systems are not perfect . Curved lanes and high traffic can affect a car ’s ability to chase after a marked lane , and ADAS does n’t always see pedestrian walking at dark .
What all of this enquiry means is your car ’s ADA can indeed serve you , but it can not yet supercede you . Human brains are still the best onboard figurer .
