ADAS and Different Levels of Automation

With roads teeming with motor vehicles over the years, there has also been a stupendous rise in the frequency of road accidents. These untoward events on road can occur due to human error or bad weather, or road conditions. Regardless of the cause, the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) was conceived to provide superior safety measures while driving.

What exactly happens in ADAS?

At first, ADAS was a single feature developed from a safety standpoint. The popularity of autonomous driving has led to the innovation of more advanced and complex ADAS features. Hence, the term ADAS covers an increasingly broad and common range of passive and active systems that are offered either as options or as the standard for many cars and commercial vehicles these days. 

Some ADAS functions are proven to be so effective that they have become mandatory in certain regions across the globe. In fact, it is hard to differentiate where ADAS’s remit begins and where it ends. As mentioned in the earlier lines, initially, the ADAS feature was developed for the safety of drivers, occupants, and pedestrians. Now, ADAS's features help us move towards autonomous driving seamlessly and provide the utmost comfort to occupants. 

Levels Of Autonomous Driving

The global engineers’ association has listed six levels of autonomy, from level zero (no automation) to level five (full automation). It is the industry’s most cited reference for Automated-Vehicle (AV) capabilities. The different levels of automation are as follows:

Level Zero: Zero Automation

Since the dawn of the automotive age, the driver is required to execute all the longitudinal and lateral control at all times. Cars that fall under this category are typically devoid of driving assistant systems, so the driver assumes full vehicular control from acceleration, braking, steering and negotiating traffic. When you lose control of your car, you alone must decide how to react and regain control of the car.

Level One: Driver Assistance

At this level, the autonomous system can intervene a little, but the overall control of the vehicle would still be with the driver. The vehicle can provide some assistance, like giving some traction in emergency situations, but the driver still handles all accelerating, braking, and monitoring of the surrounding environment.

Level Two: Partial Automation

The vehicles that are manufactured currently are at this level. At this level, two or more autonomous systems will be functioning in tandem with the expectation that the driver will perform the remaining aspects of the dynamic driving task. 

At this level, ACC (Adaptive cruise control) is able to keep the vehicle at the prescribed speed with the help of a set of sensors like LIDAR and RADAR and monitor the driving environment. When the Vehicle in front slows down to stop, the vehicle with the ACC will automatically apply brakes to reduce speed without any driver intervention.

Level Three: Conditional Automation

Here, at this level, the driver will be able to relax and need to keep an eye on the road and driving environment. More than two autonomous driving systems will function in tandem, taking all longitudinal and lateral controls. The systems in Level 3 automation recognize their limitations and demand the driver take over when necessary.

Level Four: High Automation

At Level four autonomous driving, the car will be able to take almost full control of driving on long stretches of a journey or in clearly defined areas of a city. In level three, the vehicle will request the human to take the driving control for the specific section. When activated, the driver will no longer be required to monitor the system and can therefore turn his or her attention to other tasks or even take a nap during the journey.

Level Five: Full Automation

This is the last stage in autonomous driving. Here, at this level, there will not be any physical steering wheel, braking pedal, or driving seat. The autonomous systems will control all the driving tasks, monitor the environment, identify unique situations like traffic jams, and take necessary action.

According to recent projections from the top OEMs worldwide, ADAS features for autonomous driving will be almost commonplace over the next few years. Nearly 85% of all vehicles built worldwide will have some form of automated driving by 2025.