Industry Voices | Transforming the Future of Vehicle Ownership With ADAS Technology

Evolving consumer preferences have led enterprises in nearly every industry to re-invent their business models. In the automotive sector, the unwavering prioritization of safety paired with on-demand and alternative consumer transportation needs has increased the focus on differentiated and innovative mobility services.

Consider the history of the vehicle, where enhanced safety features once meant adding seatbelts to cars. Over time, automakers have come to realize safety is the customer’s top priority. Soon enough, seatbelts progressed to electronics and software, and engineers began putting their heads together to build safer, more advanced vehicles. Eventually, these engineers realized that automated capabilities have the potential to save lives.

On this journey to make vehicles safer, more advanced features are being introduced into vehicles each year. AAA estimates the current level of advanced driver-assistance systems technology may prevent 37 million crashes, 14 million injuries and 250,000 deaths over the next 30 years. From the slow progression of the early ’90s, today’s automotive market boasts capabilities such as emergency braking, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, lane assistance, hands-free driving and beyond – all intended to enhance the safety of drivers.

Safety has become a critical selling point in the automotive market, and ADAS is the key to unleashing that full potential.

Unpacking ADAS

Research shows the ADAS global market will increase from $27 billion in 2023 to $83 billion by 2030. While many consumers think of ADAS in terms of robot cars that drive themselves, it is actually a multifaceted technology with many active implementations.

The Society of Automotive Engineers has defined various levels of autonomy, which categorize ADAS features. Most new vehicles operate between L1 and L2 autonomy, where the driver is fully engaged even when driver-support features are activated. The driver is steering, braking and accelerating as needed in order to maintain safety. These features include adaptive cruise control, lane centering, traffic jam assist and hands-free driving.

When discussing some ideas of self-driving, this is often referring to L2+ autonomy, where the driver still has their eyes on the road while the car is in motion. L4 autonomy and beyond is where the idea of “full self-driving” comes into the fold. The driver does not have to be engaged while the vehicle is in motion. The growing robotaxi market is a prime example of L4 autonomy goals.

Key to the success of ADAS is strong industry regulation. NHTSA has been researching ADAS technology for over 25 years – specifically focusing on front-end collisions. NHTSA and many other organizations have dedicated resources to test and rank ADAS-equipped vehicles. The work of these groups do is imperative, as all OEMs and ADAS providers must be held to the same standard of safety.

The Double-Edged Safety Sword

It is clear the main benefit associated with ADAS is enhanced safety, but it is also the technology’s biggest challenge. Despite the projections that ADAS will reduce vehicle-related crashes, injuries and deaths, many consumers still question the safety of this technology.

There have been a handful of public displays of concern while testing ADAS vehicles on public roads, which can produce doubt in the minds of consumers. The challenge is that these vehicles cannot be successfully implemented at scale without the necessary testing.

This is why OEMs must utilize functional safety to meet standards before putting these cars on public roads. By building cost-effective redundancies into the feature functions of the vehicle, OEMs will reduce failures.

ADAS-Enabling Technologies

As ADAS continues to progress, many OEMs will continue incorporating artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies to improve their systems. To build enhanced decision-making, OEMs will want to instill as much intelligence into their features as possible.

For example, consider a scenario where one driver cuts off another driver. In a self-driving vehicle with no driver that does not have a built-in AI model, the car will not anticipate being cut off by a human driver, leading to an accident. Conversely, in a driverless vehicle with a built-in AI model, the technology will monitor the sides of the vehicle to predict and anticipate all possible actions by the other cars on the road. Because the AI model is already evaluating these behaviors, reaction times will be improved and collisions avoided.

Beyond AI, digital twins also can be leveraged to validate feature functions. Digital twins and other simulation tools can allow feature functions to be tested in a simulation environment, making products safer early in the product lifecycle to prevent failures down the line.

The continued growth of the ADAS market is poised to transform how consumers interact with vehicles.

Many consumers do not want to rely on owning their own vehicle to ensure seamless transportation. The ability to not own a vehicle, but one available to you when you want or need it, is appealing to many consumers – specifically in larger urban areas. As a result, vehicle ownership in the future will not be as prevalent as it is today.Once the automotive industry achieves a certain level of autonomy – where a car can perform key tasks – customers can pay for what they need. As such, ADAS will disrupt the future model of vehicle ownership, resulting in a win-win for both OEMs and consumers.