Safety Drive: Showcasing the Advances in Driver Assistance Systems

Many suppliers are pursuing the goal of reducing frequency and severity of accidents by developing active and passive driving systems. Driver assistance systems focusing on the detection and analysis of the vehicle's surroundings will make a major contribution to the aims of the European Union's eSafety action programme for road safety. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) uses radar or laser technology to track a vehicle ahead and maintain a safe gap. Under development is a technological package which executes 360 degrees perception of the environment, including a variety of features such as blind spot warning and speed limit monitoring. Camera sensor technology offers many functions such as driver fatigue and lane departure warnings. Parking assistance technology helps with parking and other small space manoeuvres. Future developments include the use of advanced high technology both inside and outside the car. Industrialists and academics believe driver assistance systems will gradually help to reduce accidents, though to achieve accident-free driving an improvement in behaviour and traffic environment would also be required. The traffic sign recognition and lane departure warning functions of Opel/Vauxhaul's Insignia's Opel Eye in-car camera are explained.