Thursday, 22 December 2022
Austroads has published a new Guideline to assist driver licensing authorities to develop responses to the increasing presence of Advance Driver Assistance System (ADAS) functions in vehicles used for training and testing new drivers. The Guideline will also be of interest to driver trainers and assessors who may need to consider how they respond to driver licence testing with ADAS functions.
“ADAS functions have become standard in many new cars, offering new safety features that benefit everyone on the road,” said Austroads Road Safety and Design Program Manager, Michael Nieuwesteeg. “Understanding what these features do and how the driver should use them is crucial to getting the best safety outcomes from this technology.”
The Guideline provides a brand-neutral list of ADAS functions found in vehicles in the Australian car fleet. High-level, simplified descriptions outline how ADAS functions work, what they do and what they do not do, their benefits and limitations and what safety improvements those functions might provide. The Guideline also assesses the safety value of the ADAS functions and their suitability for use in driver testing.
“We intend this Guideline to be a first step in building harmonisation in the states and territories’ incorporation of ADAS functions in driver licence testing,” said Michael. “Ultimately, Austroads is supporting its members to improve the understanding of ADAS functions among owners and drivers, helping them to get the best out of their vehicles.”
The underlying technology, terminology and deployment of ADAS functions are constantly changing. The Guideline will be subject to those changes and will be regularly reviewed and updated.
“We are planning to release a Consumer Guide in 2023 that will help vehicle drivers and owners understand the ADAS functions available in their vehicles.”
Download Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: Practical Driver Testing Guideline