What you need to know about driver assistance technologies

Vehicles that do not need a human driver are not yet commercially available in Canada. In recent years however, there have been many advances in vehicle technologies. Some of these technologies are designed to warn you if you are at risk of an accident, while others are designed to take action to help avoid or reduce the severity of a crash. These technologies are paving the way for vehicles with higher levels of automation. Learn more here about how these systems work and how to use them safely.

On this page

• Current driver assistance technologies
• Tips for the safe use of driver assistance technologies
• Types of driver assistance technologies
  • Collision warning
  • Collision intervention
  • Driving control assistance
  • Parking assistance
  • Other driver assistance systems

Current driver assistance technologies

Many vehicles have features to help you avoid a collision, or lessen its impact. These features are called Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) or driver assistance technologies. Many driver assistance technologies, such as blind spot warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping assistance, have been available in the market in Canada for several years. They may be standard on your vehicle or you may need to request them as an option. The manufacturer may use different names for the technology. Ensure to check with the manufacturer or the vehicle owner's manual for further information about that particular vehicle features and its capabilities.

There are a variety of driver assistance systems available to consumers today. Some systems:

• support the driver in controlling the vehicle, like lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control
• provide warnings to the driver, like lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and blind spot warning
• activate momentarily in specific situations, like automatic emergency braking

Tips for the safe use of driver assistance technologies

Know your vehicle. Get familiar with features specific to your vehicle. Be aware of what these features can and can't do before you use them on public roads. Being informed will help prevent collisions and injuries.

Know your system. Manufacturers do not always use standard terms when they tell you about your vehicle's features. This means vehicle features may have the same name, but be different in how they perform. Always know your vehicle's capabilities before you drive.

Know your vehicle feature's limitations. Driver assistance technologies still require you to pay attention to the road and traffic. Some features may only work in specific conditions (for example, within a certain speed, when lanes are visible, traffic lights are working properly, and when road markings are clear). You need to stay alert at all times when you drive with or without assistance technologies.

For more information about a specific vehicle's features, check with:

• the vehicle owner's manual
• the electronic owner's manual built into some cars' infotainment systems
• the dealer or seller, if you purchased the vehicle
• the rental company, if you rented it
• the manufacturer

Types of driver assistance technologies

Collision warnings
Blind spot warning Warns drivers of a vehicle in their blind spot.	Forward collision warning Detects and warns the driver of a potential collision with a vehicle ahead. Some systems include pedestrian or other object detection.	Lane departure warning Monitors the vehicle's position within the driving lane and alerts the driver as the vehicle is drifting over the lane markings.
Parking collision warning Detects obstructions near the vehicle during parking maneuvers.	Rear cross traffic warning Detects vehicles approaching from the side and rear of the vehicle while traveling in reverse and alerts the driver.
Collision intervention
Automatic emergency braking Detects a potential collision with obstacles ahead, provides forward collision warning, and automatically applies the brakes to avoid or lessen the severity of the impact. Some systems include pedestrian or other object detection.	Automatic emergency steering Detects a potential collision and automatically controls steering to avoid or lessen the severity of the impact. Some systems include pedestrian or other object detection.	Reverse automatic braking Detects a potential collision while traveling in reverse and automatically applies the brakes to avoid or lessen the severity of the impact. Some systems include pedestrian or other object detection.
Driving control assistance
Adaptive cruise control Assists with acceleration and/or braking to maintain a prescribed distance between it and a vehicle in front. Some systems can come to a stop and continue.	Active driving assistance Assists with vehicle acceleration, braking, and steering. Some systems are limited to specific driving conditions.	Lane keeping assistance Assists with steering to maintain vehicle within driving lane.
Parking assistance
Active parking assistance Controls steering and potentially other functions like braking and accelerating during parking. Driver may be responsible for acceleration, braking, and gear position. Some systems are capable of parallel and/or perpendicular parking.	Remote parking assistance Parks vehicle without the driver being physically present inside the vehicle. Automatically controls acceleration, braking, steering, and shifting.	Trailer assistance Assists the driver with visual guidance while backing towards a trailer or during backing maneuvers with a trailer attached. Some systems may provide additional images while driving or backing with a trailer. Some systems may provide steering assistance during backing maneuvers.
Other driver assistance systems
Advanced forward lighting systems Prompts lights to automatically adapt to changing driving conditions by swiveling to illuminate the vehicles travel path, switching from high beam to low beam, or shining light 90 degrees in either direction at an intersection.	Backup camera Provides view of area behind the vehicle when in reverse. Could include trailer assistance, a system that assists drivers during backing maneuvers with a trailer attached.	Brake assist Brake assist monitors brake pedal pressure to automatically sense emergency braking. It then boosts brake pressure to levels beyond those of the driver's pedal and more quickly to shorten stopping distances.
Driver monitoring Monitors drivers to determine if they are actively engaged in the task of driving. Some systems monitor the drivers eye movement and head position.	Electronic stability control Automatically brakes one or more wheels for short periods of time and/or reduces engine power to keep the vehicle moving in the intended direction when it swerves to avoid an obstacle.	Head-up display Projects an image of vehicle data and/or navigational information into the driver's forward line of sight.
Night vision Aids driver vision at night by projecting enhanced images on instrument cluster or head-up display.	Roll stability control Limits vehicle roll by braking one or more wheels and reducing engine power in extreme cornering or evasive maneuvers.	Speed alert Reminds drivers of the current speed and/or alerts drivers when they drive above the speed limit.
Surround view camera Uses cameras located around vehicle to present view of surroundings.	Tire pressure monitors Monitors the air pressure of all the wheels and alerts the driver when a tire's pressure has dropped below a safe level.	Traction control Monitors wheel speed and limits wheel spin when accelerating by braking and/or reducing engine power to the drive wheels.

Related links

• Automated and connected vehicles
• Background: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems