Is Canada lagging behind in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)?
The answers appears to be yes, according to a news release from Belron Canada, which suggests that the federal government should be doing more with this technology to enhance driver safety across the country. Examples of low level ADAS technology include adaptive cruise control and automated parking.
“With a new Parliament in Ottawa, we need to act now to improve our road safety record,” said Sylvie Leduc, Vice-President Brand & Customer Promise at Belron Canada. “The Towards zero vision which was set in 2001 will never become reality if Ottawa does not tap into the numerous advantages of ADAS and safety catalysts.”
Belron Canada is a division of Belron International, which is a company that offers strict safety standards, personalized service, “avant-garde” technologies, and a training program in automotive glass repair and replacement.
According to a company white paper, 94 per cent of the traffic accidents in Canada have been blamed on human error — often connected with distracted driving, speeding, and impaired driving. It’s worth noting that the number of car accidents in the country have declined over the past 40 years, although Belron Canada said it has begun to trend up again — possibly as a result of distracted driving.
The report says that ADAS technologies can improve safety by potentially helping to avoid up to 36 per cent of all road crashes, up to 35 per cent of vehicle collision-related injuries, and up to 28 per cent of fatalities involving passenger vehicles.
But it also mentions that these systems need to be calibrated to function properly (or to its full potential). One example of this is the forward-facing digital camera (the image processing module or IPM) found on the windshield behind the rear-view mirror.
“With a properly calibrated camera, ADAS can help avoid dangerous traffic situations if a driver’s awareness or reaction time falters. Yet, even a slight misalignment in the camera can impact the collision avoidance performance of ADAS,” the report said, adding that only 28 per cent of Canadian drivers are aware that they must calibrate their digital camera when they replace their windshield.
Drivers use the technology in combination with their own personal driving skills and experience, so the issue may lean more towards drivers that are increasingly dependent on these systems. Which means there needs to be a greater awareness around the issue.
“New vehicles simply need to be more technological, but that same technology needs to be properly maintained and calibrated,” said Leduc.
Belron Canada also says that not all OEM dealerships are trained or even equipped to handle these types of calibrations, although it indicates that awareness is growing among dealerships. Dealers should offer training “on all ADAS features to all buyers,” the report recommends. “Inform your buyers of the importance of the forward-facing digital camera (IPM).”
The report also suggests that policymakers should organize public safety education campaigns to help inform consumers.
