SAE International is endorsing an effort to better inform drivers on aspects of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in current and future vehicles.
The company joined AAA, Consumer Reports, JD Power and the National Safety Council to promote the cause, officially dubbed “Clearing the Confusion: Recommended Common Naming for Advanced Driver Assistance Technologies.”
The consumer-facing document provides a framework for the development of industry-wide safety standards, supporters say. The SAE Active Safety Terms and Definitions Task Force currently is revising SAE J3063TM Standard: Active Safety Systems Terms and Definitions, a more detailed document for use by engineers. The update to SAE J3063 will be more robust as a result of the input from community of stakeholders engaged in the current “Clearing the Confusion” effort.
“With advanced safety technologies being added to new vehicles every year, we recognize that it’s important that consumers understand the technologies they are using and common descriptions can help,” said Chad Zagorski, chair of the SAE International Active Safety Systems Standards Committee. “Educating drivers on key terms such as ‘Lane Keeping Assistance’ and ‘Automatic Emergency Braking’ helps drivers have consistent expectations and awareness of the functionality of their vehicle’s advanced driver assistance systems.”
Automakers use varied terminology to describe ADAS, so the recommended common terminology and clarifications provided in “Clearing the Confusion” are designed to help eliminate confusion and ensure that drivers are aware that these systems are designed to assist, not replace, an engaged driver.
“These recommendations are not meant to replace automaker proprietary system or package names, but rather help identify key functions within those packages and provide clarity to consumers,” said Keith Wilson, technical program manager at SAE. “As safety technologies advance and as new systems are developed, we plan to work with stakeholders to refine the naming outline to keep the public and industry informed.”
The new common naming outline is simple, specific and based on system functionality. The names and descriptions were developed, with vehicle owners in mind, through a collaboration of industry experts to clearly explain each assistance system functionality, including Driving Control Assistance, Collision Warning, Collision Intervention, Parking Assistance and more.
AAA, Consumer Reports, JD Power and the National Safety Council commend SAE International in its endorsement of common naming of advanced driver assistance systems, as well as its consideration to revise the SAE J3063 Standard to directly support the effort of clearing the confusion for consumers regarding new vehicle technology.
The “Clearing the Confusion” recommendations can be viewed here.