UK car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover Automotive (JLR) says it’s working on an initiative to increase driver awareness of critical advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) after its survey found 41% of respondents don’t clearly understand what the technologies do.

The survey also found many drivers don’t realize some ADAS systems, such as automatic emergency braking or reverse collision detection systems can switch off when their cars’ sensors are obscured by dirt or other debris.

JLR has been working with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to increase awareness. DVSA has updated its driver guidebooks and other literature with information about ADAS systems and is issuing public guidance.

“Road safety in Europe has improved significantly in the last decade thanks in part to technological advances such as mandatory fitting of ADAS systems to new cars,” said Thomas Mueller, JLR executive director of product engineering, in a news release. “However, it is vital that drivers learn about the systems fitted to their cars and how to operate and maintain them so that they work most effectively.”

“In addition to warnings in JLR vehicle handbooks, we are launching a drive to increase awareness about ADAS systems, and we are pleased the UK government is taking steps to educate drivers in the UK about ADAS systems.”

The survey also found:

• • 36% of UK drivers have experienced their ADAS sensors not working because they are dirty;
  • 20% do not plan to clean their car more often, even though it will ensure the ADAS sensors work effectively; and
  • 22% of drivers do not clean their cars at least once a month

JLR commissioned global data and insights company Dynata to survey 2,000 people in the UK in July and August 2023. Each respondent was 18 years of age or older and had bought or leased a new or used car with ADAS features in the past three years.

Top ADAS features respondents had experience with include:

• • Parking Sensors (89%)
  • Adaptive Cruise Control (75%)
  • Forward Collision Warning (74%)
  • Land Departure Warning System (69%)
  • Collision Avoidance System (65%)
  • Lane Change Assistance (63%)

In the U.S., a coalition made up of AAA, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, National Safety Council, PAVE, and SAE International released a set of expanded and updated recommendations for universal terms for ADAS features. The terms were agreed on to establish a common language when referring to ADAS so that drivers are fully aware the systems are meant to assist them, not replace an engaged driver.

In July, Nissan shared information about Second Delivery, a complimentary perk for owners of Ariya electric vehicles, to learn about ADAS operation. Nissan expects to expand the program to Rogue SL, Rogue Platinum, and LEAF later this year.

Once a new vehicle is leased or purchased, owners can sign up at a participating dealer through the MyNissan app or the Nissan Owners Portal. A Nissan tech employee will then set up a time to meet at the customer’s home, workplace, or other location to walk them through the vehicle’s features, answer questions, and highlight tech the owner might not be aware of.

Second Delivery typically takes place about two weeks after the owner has received their new car.

A survey held in January by AAA found U.S. interest in semi-autonomous technologies such as reverse automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane keeping assistance remains high. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they wanted reverse AEB (65%), AEB (63%), or lane keeping assistance (62%) on their next vehicle.

Most respondents said they believe AEB will stop a vehicle when another car, children, adult pedestrians, or bicyclists are in front of or behind it.

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Featured image provided by JLR