ADASBestPractice Guidance

Produced by:

ADAS Best Practice Guidance

2

Brake provides guidance for employers and fleet managers to help them manage their road risk through its Fleet Safety Forum and Brake Professional website.This report delivers evidence-based guidance on the safe and effective use of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and the importance of following manufacturer guidance to ensure the systems continue to function correctly, for example after vehicle maintenance or repair. The content is based on expert advice presented during a Brake roundtable event, held in partnership with Autoglass® in April 2017.

IntroductionADAS-enabled safety features, such as Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) are becoming increasingly common in UK vehicle fleets. They present a golden opportunity to reduce the number of crashes resulting in deaths and injuries caused by driver error every year.

In the UK, five people are killed and a further 60 people are seriously injured in road crashes every day i. Driver error is a critical factor in over 90% of all motor vehicle collisions, caused by errors in judgement, failure to

identify risks, sub-par performance and mistakesii. ADAS technologies can prevent or mitigate the severity of these collisions.

Likewise, the potential to improve fleet safety is significant but to realise the full benefits of these systems the correct maintenance is a necessity. This report outlines the key benefits of ADAS; what fleet managers need to know about their regulation; considerations for selecting and maintaining ADAS-enabled safety features; and examples of best practice.

ADAS Best Practice Guidance

3

What is ADAS? The term ADAS is used to describe active safety systems on a vehicle that can identify safety-critical situations and take action, either automatically or by sending a warning to the driver.

The systems support many different safety features, including AEB and LDW, and are becoming a standard feature in many fleets, helping to reduce the risk and severity of collisions. ADAS have advanced rapidly, thanks in part to sensor technologies such as cameras, radar and laser (referred to as LIDAR), they share with developmental autonomous vehicles.

Front-facing cameras on the windscreen are one of the most common sensors which ADAS safety features rely on to function correctly, for example, to detect pedestrians, cyclists, road signs and lane markings. Many manufacturers recommend that these are calibrated if the

windscreen is replaced. Cameras need to know where they are mounted in relation to the vehicle so that the co-ordinates of other objects can be correctly measured.

By reducing the opportunity for a driver to make a fatal error, or by automatically acting to mitigate the outcome of a road crash, ADAS technology provides a means to keep people safe and secure on the roads. One report from the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) and its Australasian counterpart in 2015, estimated that the installation of just AEB into a motor vehicle, can reduce real-world rear-end crashes by up to 38%iii. In addition to making short-term interventions to avoid or mitigate collisions, ADAS are also an important step towards fully autonomous vehicles, which could save an estimated 2,500 lives and prevent 25,000 serious collisions in the UK between 2014 and 2030iv.

See endnotes for sources

Small Degree, Big Impact.Driver assist systems are becoming increasingly more common in today’s cars. Cameras are often mounted

to the windscreen to enable systems such as autonomous emergency braking and lane deviation warnings to function correctly. A camera that is misaligned by as little as one degree can have devastating consequences.

Why driver assist systems should be on your radar.

Correctly calibrated systems ensure a safe stopping distance.

A misaligned calibration of just one degree could increase your chance of a collision.

15.3m

Estimated No. of vehicles on UK roads with driver assist

systems by 2020 ■

1,100 lives

122,860 casualties

Est. lives saved and casualties avoided by accurately calibrated systems in the next

decade*

Dealership’s knowledge ◆

53%gave

inaccurate information

about calibration

31% not aware of the need to

calibrate

Drivers ignore their vehicle manufacturer’s advice to calibrate their

safety system ◆

68%

■ Estimate based on Autoglass® commercial data and analysis of Department for Transport figures on car registrations.*Thatcham research on autonomous emergency braking. ➤ Research study commissioned by Autoglass® and carried out by OnePoll in September, 2015. 1,000 UK drivers were surveyed. ◆ Autoglass® customer survey, 2016.

Drivers unaware that the windscreen

incorporates this vital technology ➤

67%

Autoglass® replace, Autoglass® calibrate.

ADAS Best Practice Guidance

4

Regulatory requirements EU General Safety Regulation 661/2009 requires medium and heavy commercial vehicles to be fitted with AEB and LDW.

The European Commission is currently carrying out a review of these regulations, which will hopefully provide the opportunity to integrate mandatory ADAS features into European legislation and keep users as safe and secure as they can be with the current vehicle technology available.

In addition, Euro NCAP, a European car safety performance assessment programme, whose UK members include the Department for Transport and Thatcham Research, has developed a dual star safety rating for ADAS in 2016. This rating is designed to help consumers and businesses choose the safest vehicles that suits their needs, and several ADAS features are necessary requirements for achieving the top safety rating. The latest features to be added include AEB Cyclists and Junction Assist, alongside necessary refinements to Lane Keeping and AEB interurban features.

Communication, information, education Dr Alain Dunoyer - Head of Autonomous Car at SBD Alain Dunoyer is a leading ADAS technology expert who provides recommendations to consultancy clients on defining and implementing their ADAS strategies. In his opinion, there are three key elements that fleets should focus on to ensure the benefits of ADAS are fully realised.

– The need for clear communication Manufacturers and dealers that communicate the

value of ADAS to prospective buyers - including fleet buyers - are part of a small minority. What little information is available is often misleading or massively over inflates their capability. Awareness of ADAS has improved but drivers’ understanding of what they mean for them is still limited. Dealers in particular know the headlines, but don’t understand the benefits for fleet drivers

To ensure drivers receive a clear and accurate picture of the many ADAS systems already on the market, the industry - including manufacturers - should aim to communicate the value of autonomous

technologies within the context of their operating conditions. Explaining what each system is capable of (including limitations), the benefits of using them and how drivers can maximise the value of active safety

– Collect and monitor usage data – get the most from what you’ve got

Before investing in higher levels of autonomy, businesses should track how, where, and why drivers are using current systems as they can already provide very significant levels of collision reduction

– Take control of education The wider industry must find new ways to play

an active role in educating drivers about complex technologies, starting with driving schools, but also by running internal awareness workshops within fleet businesses

ADAS Best Practice Guidance

5

Fleet awareness The speed at which these systems have appeared on the market, and the huge range of different products available, have presented challenges for drivers, fleet operators, dealers, insurers and the vehicle aftermarket.

As recently as 2015 just over 2% of windscreen replacements performed by Autoglass® needed ADAS calibration but this figure continues to increase dramatically. Autoglass® estimates that today 6% of cars on UK roads have windscreen mounted ADAS, forecast to rise to 40% by 2020, with fleet vehicles 50% more likely to have been fitted with ADAS than other vehicles on the road.

Since fleet cars tend to be newer and come with up-to-date safety features, the adoption rate of ADAS in these vehicles is much higher. A recent survey of 250 British fleet managers by Autoglass® found that just over a third (34%) of the vehicles in car and van fleets already have some ADAS-enabled safety features, such as AEB

and lane deviation warnings. Based on these findings it is estimated that 29% of all car fleets and 40% of all van and light commercial fleet vehicles are now ADAS-enabled.

The research by Autoglass® also found that while managers responsible for ADAS-equipped car and van fleets appear to recognise some of the benefits of the technology, including improved driver safety (47%) and reductions in repair costs (23%); a significant number surveyed (27%) acknowledged their lack of awareness on how the technology works.

There is a danger that if the technology is working incorrectly or is not used to the fullest extent of its benefits, ADAS could present as many risks to road safety as they solve. It is essential that fleets ensure that the technology is correctly fitted, and clear instructions on the use of ADAS are given to the driver and other relevant stakeholders.

ADAS Best Practice Guidance

6

Taking action on ADAS 1. Understand what systems, features you have

(and want) in your fleet

Cost is a major factor in fleet decisions so many managers will opt for new vehicles which feature a range of safety features as standard. However, the variety of products and features available on the market is wide, and selection should take usage into consideration. For example, one of the most popular ADAS-supported features is Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), designed to reduce the frequency of collisions on motorways. AEB is also a popular system, designed to reduce frontal impacts in built up urban environments or slow moving conditions.

Fleets may have a range of vehicles with many different types of ADAS functionality. ADAS features should be chosen to fulfil the journey requirements of the company, and driver manuals should state clearly what technology is onboard.

2. Make sure drivers are ADAS-aware

Fleet managers should consider what training tools are available to ensure that drivers develop the appropriate behaviours and attitudes towards ADAS-enabled safety technology. Drivers need to be aware of the ADAS functionality and how the technology works in order to have the most beneficial relationship possible with the ADAS-aware vehicles.

3. Make sure drivers aren’t switching off

Worryingly, there is evidence that, for a variety of reasons, many drivers simply choose to switch off their ADAS systems. SBD estimates that 59% of ADAS owners regularly turn off forward collision warnings and 57% do the same with lane departure warnings. Almost two-thirds (64%) feel they don’t need the help of the technology, and a quarter (25%) find the technology itself a distraction. Research from Autoglass® found that one in six (16%) fleet managers have to deal with drivers that choose to switch off an ADAS-enabled safety feature due to annoyance.

4. Make sure you have a process in place for calibration

Many manufacturers recommend that ADAS are calibrated during repair and maintenance, including after a windscreen replacement. However, 20% of ADAS-enabled car fleet managers and 15% of van fleets managers surveyed by Autoglass® admitted that they do not include ADAS calibration as part of their checks during vehicle repair and maintenance (17% overall). If the cameras are out of alignment by even one degree, the consequences can be devastating, as the systems could fail to take appropriate action or alert the driver to a dangerous situation.

5. Make sure your ADAS is looked after by qualified technicians

In the future, ADAS checks may be incorporated into a ‘Periodical Technical Inspection’, proposed in the EU as a replacement for the MOT.

Until then, many fleets rely on vehicle dealerships for expert knowledge of their manufacturer’s proprietary technologies. However, there is evidence that their expertise may be patchy.

One ‘secret shopper’ exercise conducted by consultancy Strategy Analytics using real-world potential buyers found that in some cases ‘no insight on new advanced safety and infotainment features’ was offered. In other situations during the exercise, sales representatives were confused and features were misrepresented during test drivesv.

Research by Autoglass® in 2016 also revealed that 31% of UK dealerships were unaware of the need to calibrate

ADAS technology and 53% gave inaccurate information on the technology available ◆.

“The vehicle hand-over process for new vehicles is crucial and drivers should be given a clear induction into their vehicle’s safety features. The expectation for every driver to self-educate by digesting their manual from cover to cover is unrealistic. A more robust approach to providing information reduces the risk of falling short on safety.”

Jeremy Rochfort National Sales Manager, Autoglass®

ADAS Best Practice Guidance

7

Conclusions and recommendations for fleet decision makers - Consider all the safety features available when

renewing fleet vehicles, focusing on what’s most appropriate for usage and driver behaviour

- Audit existing fleets - including grey fleet vehicles - to get the whole picture of what safety features you have and to better understand any requirements for education, maintenance, and calibration

- Keep up to date on new mandated safety features and regulatory requirements

- Be a champion for ADAS - raising driver awareness and providing training if necessary

- Ensure calibration is undertaken by trained technicians

Getting calibration right

Autoglass® has put together a dedicated Research and Development unit of innovators and thinkers who regularly commission research from leading industry specialists like TRL, engage with pioneering research authorities like MIT and sit on influential industry steering committees like the SMMT and Thatcham.

In October 2015, Autoglass® launched an ADAS calibration solution, having invested significantly in understanding these technologies and using that understanding to develop a technical and customer solution. This was supported by over £2 million investment in hardware and training of 125 technicians across the UK.

There are two main forms of calibration – dynamic and static.

Static calibration requires a controlled environment where the vehicle cannot move; whereas dynamic calibration requires the vehicle to be driven to complete the calibration process. Autoglass® offers both static and dynamic calibration solutions, and the calibration is performed during the same appointment as the windscreen replacement. Autoglass® has a national network of sites to provide static calibrations and dynamic calibration service is then carried out at a location convenient for the fleet driver, saving driver and vehicle downtime.

Autoglass® has partnered with leading German automotive diagnostics specialists Hella Gutmann Solutions on the technology required to calibrate.

Endnotes

i https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-road-fatalities

ii National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (USA), Traffic Safety Facts (February 2015)

iii http://www.euroncap.com/en/press-media/press-releases/study-confirms-high-effectiveness-of-low-speed-autonomous-emergency-

braking-aeb/

iv KPMG (2015), Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: The UK Economic Opportunity

v Inadequate Training of Dealers Leads to Consumer Confusion on Test Drives, Strategy Analytics, March 2017

■ Estimate based on Autoglass® commercial data and analysis of Department for Transport figures on car registrations.

*Thatcham research on autonomous emergency braking. ➤ Research study commissioned by Autoglass® and carried out by

OnePoll in September, 2015. 1,000 UK drivers were surveyed. ◆ Autoglass® customer survey, 2016.

As further background on ADAS, Autoglass® has created two short videos which can be found on the following links:

What is ADAS?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNdvzRdJxks

ADAS calibration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRYR9GsFvAg

For more information contact:

Email: professional@brake.org.uk

Tel: 01484 55 99 09