What is a Collision Avoidance System?
A Collision Avoidance System (CAS) is an advanced safety technology designed to prevent or mitigate collisions between vehicles. It employs various sensors, such as radar, lidar, cameras, and sometimes even sonar, to detect potential obstacles or hazards in the vehicle’s path.
Collision avoidance systems assist drivers by identifying situations of risk and either directly or indirectly assisting the driver in the avoidance of an accident. An example of direct assistance would be automatic emergency braking while an example of indirect assistance would be notification of an unsafe following distance. The identification of risk is typically accomplished through some combination of video, lidar and radar.
How Does a Collision Avoidance System Work?
Collision avoidance systems help the driver by applying a higher degree of attention to potentially dangerous situations. When a situation of potential risk is identified, the driver may receive feedback about the situation or the technology may actually act on behalf of the driver in cases like automatic emergency braking or lane departure restrictions. Collision avoidance systems typically address the issues of avoiding a rear end collision or side impact from an unsafe lane change.
Overview of Types of Collision Avoidance Systems
There are several types of collision avoidance systems, each tailored to address specific driving scenarios. Forward Collision Warning (FCW) systems alert the driver of an impending collision with a vehicle or object in their path, often paired with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) that applies the brakes if the driver does not respond in time. Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) systems help prevent unintentional lane drift by warning the driver or actively steering the vehicle back into the lane. Blind Spot Detection (BSD) systems monitor areas that are difficult for drivers to see, providing alerts when other vehicles are present in the blind spots. Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) systems warn drivers of approaching traffic when reversing out of parking spaces. Additionally, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) maintains a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead by adjusting the vehicle’s speed. By integrating these various technologies, collision avoidance systems significantly enhance road safety, reduce the likelihood of accidents, and promote a more confident driving experience.
Forward Collision Avoidance Systems
A Forward Collision Avoidance System (FCAS) is one of the most common types of CAS. It primarily focuses on detecting obstacles or vehicles ahead of the host vehicle and takes appropriate actions to avoid or minimize collisions.
Perhaps the most effective and widely used collision avoidance system is when in-vehicle technology recognizes a pending collision and actively engages the braking system without the driver’s involvement. Since one of the most prevalent accidents is the rear-end collision (with the rear vehicle almost always at fault), this is a very useful feature and is becoming standard on most new vehicles.
Lane Departure Warning Systems
A Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) is designed to prevent accidents caused by unintentional lane departures. It uses cameras or sensors to monitor the vehicle’s position within its lane. If the system detects that the vehicle is drifting out of its lane without signaling, it alerts the driver through visual, audible, or haptic warnings, prompting them to take corrective action. LDWS helps prevent accidents caused by drowsiness, distraction, or momentary lapses in attention.
Lane departure warnings are aimed at limiting unintentional lane changes and enforcing safer lane changes through proper signaling. Drivers may be alerted through visual, audible, or haptic warnings or the vehicle may actively resist the lane change. Safety is enhanced by mitigating the risk of driver inattention, distraction, or drowsiness.
Blind Spot Detection System
A Blind Spot Detection System (BSD) helps drivers avoid collisions while changing lanes by monitoring the vehicle’s blind spots. Using sensors typically located on the side mirrors or rear bumper, BSD detects vehicles approaching from behind and alongside the host vehicle that may not be visible in the side mirrors. When a vehicle is detected in the blind spot, the system alerts the driver through visual or audible warnings, allowing them to safely maneuver and avoid potential collisions.
Blind spot detection extends the driver’s visibility and improves lane change safety. When sensors detect a vehicle approaching from behind, the driver is alerted via visual or audible warnings, thus necessitating a “second look” and possible adjustment before the lane change is made. Blind spot detection effectively gives the driver a more complete view of adjacent traffic.
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) systems warn a driver when there is potential cross traffic when backing out of parking spaces. The approaching vehicle or pedestrian behind the vehicle is noticed by the technology and the driver is alerted. Similar to automatic emergency braking, the vehicle may commonly act on behalf of the driver and automatically apply the brakes. Rear cross-traffic alerts mitigate the risk of compromised visibility when backing.
Vehicular Communication Systems vs Collision Avoidance
Vehicular communication systems and collision avoidance technologies are both integral to the future of automotive safety, yet they function in distinct ways to enhance driver and passenger protection. Vehicular communication systems, such as Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication, enable vehicles to share critical information with each other and with traffic infrastructure. These systems provide real-time data on traffic conditions, road hazards, and other vehicles’ positions, which can help prevent accidents by allowing vehicles to anticipate and react to potential dangers well in advance.
On the other hand, collision avoidance systems focus on immediate threat detection and response. While collision avoidance systems are reactive, addressing threats as they arise, vehicular communication systems are proactive, aiming to prevent dangerous situations from developing. When combined, these technologies create a comprehensive safety net: communication systems provide the foresight to avoid hazards, and collision avoidance systems offer the immediate intervention needed to handle unforeseen threats. Together, they represent a significant advancement in automotive safety, working in tandem to reduce accidents and enhance overall road safety.
About the Collision Avoidance System Market
The Collision avoidance system market has experienced significant growth in recent years due to the increasing demand for advanced safety features in vehicles. With advancements in sensor technology and the rise of autonomous driving, the market is expected to expand further in the coming years.
With increasing accident rates and increasing driver distraction, collision avoidance systems are helping mitigate the risk of lapses in driver attention. The market for collision avoidance assistance is thus strong, especially for such logical and popular features such as automatic emergency braking. A future of autonomous driving vehicles is the ultimate example of collision avoidance as the technology will avoid accidents with no participation from the driver.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Collision Avoidance Systems
While collision avoidance systems deliver clear safety enhancements around greater driver safety and reduced risk of accidents and injuries, as well as potentially making accidents less severe, there are also downsides to the technology. Among the downsides are dependence on the accuracy of sensors and related functionality, increased costs of the technology and increased costs to repair and manage the transition to fully autonomous driving.
Advantages:
- Enhanced safety for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians
- Reduced risk of collisions, injuries, and fatalities
- Can mitigate the severity of accidents
Disadvantages:
- Reliance on sensor accuracy and functionality
- Cost implications for purchasing and maintaining the system
- Potential for false alarms or unintended system activations
What Type of Collision Avoidance System is LifeSaver Mobile?
While not a collision avoidance system, the LifeSaver solution does lessen the probability of an accident being caused by driver distraction. The technology does not intervene with the vehicle but does provide the driver with either lack of access to the distracting element (mobile device) or, in the case of speed management, an auditory warning when the speed limit has been exceeded).
