During the 2019 ITS European Congress, a new ADAS alliance was announced. Organisations across the EU will work together to increase the safe use of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (in short: ADAS) by at least 20% in 3 years. That objective has been laid down in the ADAS Covenant, which has since been signed by 42 public and private organizations (the “ADAS Alliance”). All these organisations, including Fleet360, have drawn up their own implementation plan with concrete actions.
What is ADAS?
ADAS is the abbreviation for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. These are electronic systems that aid a driver while driving. When designed with a safe human-machine interface, they are intended to increase car safety and more generally road safety.
Most road accidents occur due to human error. ADAS has been developed to automate, adapt and enhance vehicle systems for safety and better driving. These automated systems have been proven to reduce road fatalities, by minimising the human error. Safety features are designed to avoid collisions and accidents by offering technologies that alert the driver to potential problems, or to avoid collisions by implementing safeguards and taking over control of the vehicle.
Adaptive features may automate lighting, provide adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance, pedestrian crash avoidance mitigation (PCAM), incorporate Satnav/traffic warnings, alert driver to other cars or dangers, lane departure warning system, automatic lane centering, show what is in blind spots, or connect to smartphones for navigation instructions.
A simple example is the beep in your car when you reverse. Objects that come very close are detected, which in turn helps you not to hit anything. Another example is the ‘collision warning system’. This system detects dangerous situations in the traffic ahead before they happen.
ADAS is considered a tailor-made approach to the self-driving car. These systems can already contribute to improving road safety, sustainability and traffic flow on the road. “It’s great that so many organizations, each from within their own discipline, want to actively contribute to promoting the safe use of ADAS that actually contribute to those goals,” said Ilse Harms, Senior Behavioral and Smart Mobility Advisor at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
The role of Fleet360 consists in bringing transparency for national and international fleets in what ADAS systems are about, what benefit they can bring to the driver and to the TCO by a supporting business case and how to introduce ADAS systems as mandatory options in the car policy.
Hans Damen – Partner Fleet360
Unknown makes unused
Recent research by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management shows that ADAS, on average across the different types, is unknown to roughly 50% of motorists in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, the presence of ADAS in fleet vehicles have risen slightly since 2015. However, drivers do not seem to be well aware of the presence, operation or proper use of ADAS in their own car.
Safe use of safe ADAS
“It is good that there is now an initiative to accelerate the application of ADAS: the earlier they are on the road, the more safety gains we can expect,” says Peter van der Knaap, Director-Director of SWOV, the Institute for Scientific Road Safety Research. The ADAS Covenant only concerns ADAS that have a proven positive effect on road safety, sustainability or traffic flow and in any case have no negative effect on road safety.
Van der Knaap: “There are systems that are specifically aimed at safety and there are systems that are specifically aimed at increasing driving comfort. With the latter systems, it is important to ensure that this does not lead to less alert drivers.” ADAS that help to make driving safer are useful in the transition to self-driving cars. Evert-Jeen van der Meer, Automotive Industry Director at Aon: “Our goal is to find a balance between premium and damage. ADAS can speed up this process.”
Broad alliance
The ADAS Alliance consists of many different organisations, all connected ADAS in one way or another. These are not only the well-known industry associations, but also repairers, training institutions, data providers and governments. All these organisations have their own role in promoting the safe use of ADAS. The ADAS Alliance wants to promote cooperation between the participating parties in specific areas on the basis of the implementation plans submitted.
New website launches for information on smart mobility
Slimonderweg.nl is an online community where road users inform each other and share fact-based information, about the opportunities and risks of smart mobility, such as driver assistance systems. The community is an initiative of ANWB, RAI Association, Province of Noord-Holland, CBR and the Ministry of I&W. Part of the launch of this platform is an online game, with which every driver can test his or her knowledge about ADAS. Anyone who demonstrates that they can manage this matter well will receive the “smart driver’s license”.
The ADAS Alliance
The ADAS Alliance consists of a core team, with representatives from the RAI Association, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, ANWB, Aon, BOVAG, and the Dutch Association of Insurers. In addition, the following organizations have joined: Achmea, Arcadis, Carglass, CBR, Euro NCAP, Fleet360, FOCWA, Future Mobility Network, municipality of Rotterdam, municipality of Tilburg, Hastig, HELLA Benelux, Innovam, IVA, Malin, Dutch Camper Club, Pilkington Benelux AGR, ProDrive Academy, Province of Noord-Brabant / SmartWayz, Province of Noord-Holland, Province of Overijssel, RDW, ROF (Friesland), Royal HaskoningDHV, Rijkswaterstaat, SWOV, Syndesmo, The Plan B Company, TNO, TU-Delft, TUe, Association Business Drivers, VMS Insight, VNA, VOC, VVCR and VWE.
Interested organisations are still able to join, on condition that they actively contribute to the objective of the ADAS Alliance.
