Cars are no longer just pieces of metal running on the road. They are no longer simply mechanical and are much more than just cogs of machines functioning together. Cars are growing intelligent and are now companions in an individual’s itinerary rather than being just a medium of conveyance.

How? Well, software defined vehicles are emerging and are equipped with programmes that help the car to think… albeit not like a superintelligent being, but at least like an autonomous entity. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) belong to this league to vehicle intelligence that ensure drivers’ safety and assist drivers on the road through a human-machine interface. Aimed at minimizing car accidents around the world, ADAS helps the car to alert the individual behind the steering wheel to be wary of any threat to the vehicle.

Having understood the utility of ADAS, one is compelled to ponder over its applicability to the nations where the roads are havens of chaos and devoid of driving etiquettes. That’s because ADAS is usually suited for and tested in the Global North nations, where usually the traffic conditions are far greater well-managed compared to the Global South. Let’s see the challenges that ADAS may face in some of the developing nations.

How ADAS works?

ADAS usually helps drivers with lane control, adaptive cruise control, forward collision alert and avoidance, and traffic light traction control recognition, among other types of assistance. Usually, ADAS relies on a front camera installed in the passenger car or a front stereovision camera. Some cars are also equipped with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and radars to detect obstacles on the path of the car. The camera-based sensors are installed behind the windshield and connect with the actuators through interfaces and electronic control units (ECU), that is facilitated by an ensemble of high-performance chips.

The sensors perform automobile imaging with high levels of precision and offer a 360-degree coverage of the car, along with three-dimensional object resolution for any object around the car.

The sensors also supply the car and subsequently, the driver, with real-time data on the weather, information on the road conditions and visibility in harsh weather. With this collection of data, a driver feels confident about his or her situation on the road and is able to enhance safety manifold.

But not all roads are meant for ADAS

Think of the roads in the congested cities of some of the Global South countries and ask yourself if ADAS would matter.

Roads in some of the developing countries are a different ballgame altogether.

The roads are chaotic, frequented by entities other than vehicles and seldom the places of driving etiquette. This is not to judge that all roads in Global South countries are menacingly risky, neither to be discriminatory towards the Global South. However, some of the cities in the Global South countries do experience high volumes of chaotic traffic, long period of traffic congestion and poor driving behaviour from commuters. Imagine an ADAS-equipped car running on such a road, and suddenly a motorbike whizzes past the car at a short distance. ADAS will pick this as an obstacle and may apply brakes autonomously. This may still sound okay, however, in a place where quick commerce delivery personnel and other people drive recklessly and give a close call to passenger cars, ADAS will keep halting the car every now and then. In such circumstances, the driver may find ADAS to be more of a hassle rather than a benefit.

Stray animals on roads

Automotive engineers also need to consider the fact that in some of the developing nations, the roads are not just used by humans, but also by animals who happen to cross the roads or happen to walk by the side of the road. In such circumstances, ADAS may slam the brakes autonomously if a stray cow shows up before the car all of a sudden. One cannot predict the behaviour or the next move of the stray animals, and applying brakes abruptly may jolt the experience of the driver and can also put the driver’s life at risk at the cost of saving an animal’s life.

What about rear-end collisions?

Not every car may be equipped with ADAS. This may worsen the situation on the road. Suppose a stray animal shows up in front of an intelligent vehicle, which may apply the brakes to save the animal’s life. The animal’s life is saved, but what about the commuter behind the vehicle?

The sudden halt of the vehicle can cause a rear-end collision, which may cascade to several vehicles, if the vehicles are close to each other.

Moreover, in an alternative case, if the ADAS-equipped vehicle senses a car behind and decides to avoid a rear-end collision, then either it has to slaughter the poor unassuming animal or has to drift the car rapidly, both of which can cause threat to life.

Lanes are not always marked

In the developing nations, not all lanes are marked. And ADAS relies of lane markings to steer the vehicle correctly and autonomously. In case the vehicle can’t find the lane marking or interprets any fading lane markings incorrectly, it can lead to a torrent of warnings or alerts by the system. Imagine the horror of listening to the incessant sounds of the ADAS alarms, while you find no way to silence them. In such situations when lanes are unmarked or poorly marked, ADAS may be headache more than help.

Pedestrians are often in their own world

The roads in some of the developing countries are not accompanies by good quality pavements or sidewalks. In such circumstances, pedestrians may happen to use the side of the roads for reaching their destination. Sometimes, pedestrians may try to cross the road by weaving through the traffic, and at times, may also show up in front of the vehicles. In such circumstances, a smart driver will be able to steer the vehicle away from the pedestrian swiftly to avoid any collision. However, if the ADAS chooses to bring the car to a halt, it can lead to rear-end collisions and can result in damage to life and property. Such situations can be rife in countries lacking sidewalks and having poor civic sense among pedestrians.

How Tomorrow looks for ADAS?

ADAS has certainly immense potential to enhance safety for drivers and to make roads safer and seamless for commuters. Automotive companies are improving their ADAS features to adapt to the diverse driving conditions and traffic realities of different countries. We need better object recognition capabilities for intelligent cars to distinguish between vehicles, objects, pedestrians, and animals. What’s required is to test the ADAS features on the roads of developing countries and to customize the sensitivity and intervention levels based on the high traffic conditions of the developing countries. Massive innovations are expected in the ADAS industry and soon we may have cars whose intelligence fits the state of affairs of the roads in the Global South.