Vehicle safety is constantly evolving to assist drivers in reducing or minimising the incidence of collisions.

Since 2018, ANCAP has been undertaking on-road effectiveness testing of active crash avoidance systems to determine the benefits and limitations across a range of makes and models.

Whilst not designed to replace the driver, modern vehicles are equipped with a range of active safety features such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and active lane support systems (LSS), which considerably reduce the likelihood of being seriously injured or killed on the road.

According to ANCAP, 85 percent of all new light vehicles (passenger vehicles, SUVs and light commercial vehicles) sold today offer AEB and 81 percent offer some form of LSS. These safety features can also be found in certain used vehicles.

AEB systems use cameras and sensors to monitor the view ahead and detect obstructions. If the driver fails to respond, the vehicle will automatically apply the brakes. The AEB system can reduce the risk of a rear-end collision by 54-57 percent and has been attributed to a 27 percent reduction in fatal crashes.

For further details on how AEB systems work, check out the ANCAP fact sheet here.

LSS systems such as lane departure warning (LDW) and active lane keep assist (LKA) help a driver to safety maintain their intended path.  LDW systems use cameras and sensors to recognise lane markings and will alert the driver either by a visual or audio warning. LKA systems can automatically bring the vehicle back within the lane. These systems can reduce head on and single-vehicle collisions by 30 percent.

For further details on how LSS systems work, check out the ANCAP fact sheet here.

To find out if your vehicle is fitted with AEB and/or LSS, please see the ANCAP safety website.

Source: ANCAP Safety | Let’s re-write the ending.

12 November 2020