Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Active Lane Assist are functions becoming common in cars today.
But what exactly do these technologies do, and how can they benefit you?
IT’S ALL ABOUT HELPING KEEP THE DRIVER IN HIS/HER LANE.
Lane Keep Assist and its similarly named counterparts help drivers stay in their lanes.
Sensors and on-board cameras track road markings as the vehicle is driven.
If the driver allows the car to drift into a neighbouring lane without indicating (common in Singapore), the system intervenes.
This is why this function is sometimes called Lane Departure Warning.
HOW THE SYSTEM TAKES ACTION.
Intervention can be through a variety of actions.
The steering wheel may vibrate or become difficult to move.
Warning chimes may sound.
Increasingly common are Lane Keep Assist systems that steer the car back into its lane.
HOW THIS BENEFITS YOU
This function could help you avoid an accident.
These days, there are many driving distractions.
From your in-car infotainment, kids in the backseat and phone mounted on the dashboard, there are distractions aplenty.
It is relatively easy to allow the car to drift into a neighbouring lane.
With Lane Keep Assist, there’s another layer of safety.
THESE SYSTEMS AREN’T PERFECT, THOUGH
Although car technologies have gotten more advanced, they’re far from perfect.
For instance, roads whose lane markings are absent or faded present a problem.
The Lane Keep Assist may or will not be able to detect them.
If this happens, the system may not work.
So, you shouldn’t be reliant on such systems.
They add another layer of security, but your first layer should still be your skills and instincts.
WHY DO WE NEED THESE SYSTEMS ANYWAY?
Well, they are a reflection of many of today’s distracted drivers.
Undoubtedly, without Lane Keep Assist and other such systems, more lives may have been lost in accidents.
