How Honda’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Help Make Driving Safer

How Honda’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Help Make Driving Safer

When it comes to getting a new car, safety is one of the biggest factors to consider. However, despite technology rapidly growing, advanced driver assistance systems which help to boost up the safety of the car are bumping up the price of car repairs. 

According to a survey by the American Automobile Association (AAA), these new technologies, among them blind spot monitors, lane keeping assistance and forward collision warnings, are used to help keep drivers safer on the roads, but will cost a bomb to repair in case of accidents. It’s been proven with research showing that these systems can significantly reduce the likelihood of a crash.

“Advanced safety systems are much more common today,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “It’s critical that drivers understand what technology their vehicle has, how it performs, and how much it would cost to repair should something happen.”

Research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows these features can be highly effective. It’s been estimated that forward collision warning with auto-braking, for example, can prevent one in six front-end crashes, while lane departure warning lowers incidents of single-car, sideswipe and head-on crashes by 11% while also cutting by 21% the number of crashes resulting in injuries.

For example, Honda has developed automated drive, and driver assistive technologies, like the Honda SENSING, which aims to provide people worldwide with the joy and freedom of collision-free mobility in this motorized society where many types of mobility, such as cars and bikes, coexist. Honda SENSING provides safety, while keeping driving fun.

Based on the analysis of past road accidents, it shows that many fatal road accidents are caused by cars straying from their lanes, including those which involve pedestrians. Honda SENSING operates to detect and take action to avoid situations such as one-car accidents, collisions, pedestrian injuries, and missed road signs.

But with these new advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in place, automakers have to build in high-tech sensors, or in some cases high tech cameras as well in order to accurately track and measure the surroundings of the car. Most carmakers are also putting in radar, lasers, sonar sensors, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), as well as 3D laser technology to help with sensing the conditions of the road and the car. 

Honda’s Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Steering System is an example of ADAS, in which it detects pedestrians and boundary lines on side strips to help avoid collisions.

When the system forecasts a collision with a pedestrian as a result of the vehicle straying from the lane toward the side strip, it provides audio and visual warnings to alert the driver. It also turns the steering wheel in the other direction to assist the driver’s collision avoidance effort.

However, the main problem with these high tech devices is that they are often put in harm’s way whenever an accident does occur. So a dent or a fender bender will essentially render your expensive ADAS tech useless and in need of repair or even worse, replacement. AAA’s research found out that a minor collision for a ADAS-equipped car can run up repair costs of up to USD$5,300 (RM22,000)! We don’t need to tell you that it’s really expensive.

For example, let’s take a look at the most common car repairs; a cracked windshield. In Malaysia, a stray stone or branch from the nearby lorry can hit and leave your windshield cracked, which is a huge problem. However, changing or repairing the windshield of an ADAS-equipped car can be more costly, complicated by the cameras and other safety devices positioned behind, or mounted directly on, the windshield. Add in the fact that the ADAS system will need to be carefully recalibrated, and there may be a need for special glass with a higher optical clarity. 

“It is not unusual for windshields to get chipped or cracked, especially for drivers who commute on a daily basis,” said AAA’s Nielsen. “This may be an eyesore on a regular car, but when it falls in the line of sight of a camera or the driver, it becomes a safety issue that needs immediate attention by a facility qualified to work on these systems.”

So while these new technologies are preventing thousands and thousands of accidents on the road, and also reducing the number of injuries and deaths that occur on the road, carmakers should also consider the cost of repair so that this system can be more widely rolled out to more people. 

There you have it. We hope you enjoyed the article!

Don’t forget that Formula Venture is an authorized Honda 3S dealer in Penang, covering the sales, services, spare parts and accessories of Honda cars. If you’re looking to keep your car running in perfect condition, feel free to drop by our showroom! If you’re looking to purchase a Honda for yourself, or want to experience our brand of customer servicing, we’re here for you as well!