Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are becoming increasingly common in modern vehicles. These systems include features like blind spot monitoring, collision warnings, and emergency braking, which act as an extra set of eyes and ears to monitor the environment around the car. They are designed to alert the driver or even intervene if a collision seems imminent.

Other ADAS features focus on convenience, such as adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. These systems help reduce the driver’s workload by maintaining speed and lane position, especially on highways. A newer addition to this lineup is traffic jam assist, which combines adaptive cruise control with lane keeping to manage low-speed stop-and-go traffic typically found on limited-access highways, usually up to around 40 mph.

However, it’s important to note that these are still classified as Level 2 systems, meaning the human driver must remain actively engaged and aware of the driving environment. More advanced Level 3 systems exist, allowing drivers to fully disengage, but they are not part of this recent test.

Recently, AAA conducted a comprehensive evaluation of five unnamed ADAS systems in the Los Angeles area, a region known for heavy freeway traffic. The testing involved the same vehicles operating simultaneously on the same routes during morning and afternoon weekday traffic. Over the course of 16.2 hours, the vehicles traveled an average of 342 miles (around 550 km), with the ADAS features used according to manufacturer instructions. The vehicles were equipped with cameras and GPS devices to record traffic conditions and driver behavior throughout the experiment.

Ethan Cole

I'm Ethan Cole, a tech journalist with a passion for uncovering the stories behind innovation. I write about emerging technologies, startups, and the digital trends shaping our future. Read me on x.com