From AEB and LKA to ESC, the jargon around car safety systems can get confusing. Here’s everything you need to know.
It’s easy to get confused when shopping for a car. As well as the number of brands and models, there’s often a confusing array of acronyms and jargon that can leave you scratching your head.
Much of the jargon refers to modern safety features, many of which fall under the catch-all description of an advanced driver assist system (ADAS). As the name suggests, they’re designed to assist the driver rather than replace them, with varying degrees of usefulness and effectiveness.
Here’s a look at the terms you might come across when considering the safety features on a car…
AEB: Autonomous emergency braking
Autonomous emergency braking is designed to apply the brakes when you forget to or are distracted. It looks out for other objects (such as vehicles and, in many cases, pedestrians and cyclists) and can apply maximum braking if you are too late on the pedal. The systems aren’t perfect but can reduce the severity of a crash rather than avoiding it all together.
ESC: Electronic stability control
Also marketed as ESP, electronic stability control does what even the world’s best drivers can’t: it applies braking pressure individually to different wheels. Working in tandem with the anti-lock braking system, it’s designed to control a skid or slide without the driver intervening. It is arguably the most important safety feature since antilock brakes.
EBA: Emergency brake assist
Most people will never experience emergency brake assist, but when they do they’ll likely know about it. EBA monitors brake pedal applications and if it detects a very fast movement from the accelerator to the brake it can almost instantly apply maximum braking pressure, shortening the time it takes to depress the pedal and in turn reducing braking distances. The idea is to eliminate the milliseconds it could take for the driver to push the pedal as hard as possible.
HUD: Head-up display
Inspired by fighter jets, a head-up display (or HUD) projects some information from the instrument cluster onto a virtual space floating above the bonnet. Whether it’s the speedo or sat-nav directions, it means less time with your eyes off the road.
LDW: Lane departure warning
Lane departure warning aims to keep you placed squarely in the lane. The system usually operates at higher speeds (above, say, 60 or 80km/h) so is really set up for freeways or highways, which is where it works best. A forward-facing camera detects lane markings and can alert you to wandering within the lane, usually with a beep or vibration of the steering wheel. It can be handy on well-marked freeways but is less useful on meandering Australian country roads.
LKA: Lane keep assist
An extension of lane departure warning, lane keep assist can help guide the car back into the optimum position in its lane. It usually does that by a gentle tug on the steering wheel or by applying brakes to just one side of the car, which has the effect of steering the car to one direction. LKA can vary greatly between different vehicles and is far from perfect, sometimes applying steering when you don’t want it, such as when lanes merge or when you’re veering around a cyclist.
RCTA and FCTA: Front and rear cross traffic alert
Many cars have rear cross traffic alert but front cross traffic alert is also becoming more common. It’s handy because it can detect vehicles approaching from either side, when you may not be able to see them. In the case of rear cross traffic alert, it’s handy for backing out of angle car spaces, while front cross traffic alert is great for poking out of narrow side streets or intersections with limited visibility.
Speed sign recognition
Speed sign recognition keeps an eye out for speed limit signs so it can inform you of the current speed limit. It can be handy in unfamiliar areas or when there are roadworks, letting you know if you’re travelling too fast. Speed sign recognition signs are not perfect, though, occasionally missing signs (especially if they’re temporarily blocked by a bus or truck) or picking up other speed limit signs such as those on the back of trucks. They also aren’t smart enough to deal with school zones yet, so will often warn of the lower speed limit even when it doesn’t apply.
Blind spot warning
Radars off each back corner of the car are used to detect other vehicles that may not make it into the view of your mirrors. The car can then visually or audibly warn you – through lights or beeps – that another car may be in your path.
SEA: Safe exit assist
Safe exit assist works when parked and uses the sensors for the blind spot warning to monitor approaching vehicles and alert the driver before they open the door in front of them. Some systems temporarily disengage the door handle to stop the door being flung open.
ACC: Active or adaptive cruise control
Rather than maintaining just a speed, active (or adaptive) cruise control systems can also maintain a set distance to the vehicle in front. Using a forward-facing radar (and, often, camera) the car will accelerate and brake up to the pre-set cruise control speed while maintaining a safe distance to the car ahead. While it’s not much use around town, it can be very useful on a country road.
Adaptive dampers
Dampers (or shock absorbers) help control the spring and suspension movement when the car hits a bump. But they also help absorb bumps, playing an integral role in how the vehicle drives and cushions its occupants. Cars with adaptive dampers can alter the damping assistance, in turn softening or stiffening the car’s responses to bumps. You’d stiffen the ride predominantly in more dynamic driving, while for everyday driving you can soften it for a smoother ride.
Smart key
Sick of digging around in your pocket or bag for the car keys? Then you need a smart key, which usually uses near field communication to talk to the car. When the key is nearby it will allow the doors to be unlocked by grabbing the door handle or pushing a small button on the handle. Some can even detect when you’re near the boot and automatically open it, which is handy if your hands are full. Many modern systems also automatically lock the doors as you walk away from the car.