“If we fail to act, the system will take control of braking, acceleration, and steering using actuators“
We are focusing on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). ADAS is a generic description for groups of electronic technologies that assist driving functions. Much of the focus is on automation to detect hazardous situations and respond accordingly.
We have opted to use the Isuzu D-MAX as a reference point, as it has led the way in the twin cab ute category. Admittedly the tech we are going through has been available on high-end cars for a few years and has worked its way into mainstream brand passenger cars for a while now too. Twin cab utes were once seen as staid commercial vehicles with a minimalist approach to tech. The meteoric transformation of the category to the number one selling family/weekend adventure/ towing vehicle has seen a race by all ute manufacturers to catch up with tech. The Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Mitsubishi Triton, and Nissan Navara are now all examples of brands embracing ADAS.
Let's start with the basics. A driver has three inputs to control a car - brake, accelerator, and steering. Most of the time we control these inputs with our “human autopilot” operating at a subconscious level. However, this can fail due to distraction or fatigue, or when
