PassDGTChapter 17 of 17 · 30 questions
Modern driver assistance: lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, emergency braking and similar systems, and what they do and do not do for you.
ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) use sensors and cameras to give you alerts and data, such as when to adjust your speed or that you are drifting out of your lane. This helps you make better, safer decisions. The information is neither irrelevant nor harmful in dangerous situations.
LKA (Lane Keeping Assist) gently steers or brakes to guide the car back toward the center of the lane, though you remain responsible. It works best when lane markings are clearly visible. RCTA warns of crossing traffic when you back out, and SLI only reads speed limit signs.
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) constantly checks tire pressure and alerts you if it drops significantly. ISA is Intelligent Speed Assistance, and e-Call automatically calls emergency services after a crash.
ADAS greatly improve active safety, the features that help prevent crashes, such as collision warning, lane keeping assist and automatic emergency braking. They do not change your own reaction time. They never let you lower your level of attention.
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) uses side radar or cameras to warn you of vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians crossing behind you, usually when you back out of a parking space. LDW is Lane Departure Warning. "ACT" is not a standard name for this system.
AEBS and Hill Holder are allowed because AEBS acts only in emergencies and Hill Holder only stops the car rolling back on slopes. Neither does normal driving tasks for you. Systems like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and automatic parking are not allowed, because the examiner must assess those skills directly.
AEBS and Hill Holder are permitted in the driving test. Systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and automatic parking are not. They would take over tasks the examiner must evaluate, like keeping a safe distance, staying in your lane and parking.
BSIS-BSM (Blind Spot Information System / Blind Spot Monitoring) uses sensors and cameras to spot pedestrians, vehicles, and other objects in your blind spots. It warns you if a lane change or other maneuver could cause a collision. DDR-ADR monitors driver drowsiness and attention, and ASR-ESP controls traction and stability.
AEBS stands for Automatic Emergency Braking System. In a critical situation, it applies the brakes on its own to prevent a collision or make it less severe. It is not an anti-lock braking system (ABS), and it is not a hill descent control system.
ISA (Intelligent Speed Assistance) uses traffic sign recognition and GPS data to tell you the current speed limit. It can even limit the car's speed to help you stay within it. Start-stop shuts off the engine when you are stopped to save fuel, and DDR-ADR detects drowsiness and distraction.
RCTA helps you when you back up, especially when pulling out of a parking space. It detects vehicles coming from the sides and warns you to prevent a collision. It is not designed to assist with braking in general or with passing.
A backup camera switches on automatically when you shift into reverse. It sends a live view of the area behind the car to a dashboard screen, so you can see obstacles or people your mirrors might miss. Simply stopping or turning on the screen does not activate it.
The EDR stores data after a crash, usually when the airbags deploy or a set threshold is exceeded, including a few seconds before impact. It records things like speed, braking, throttle, seat belt use, and steering. Hard braking alone, without an impact, usually does not trigger it, and passing is a normal maneuver.
LDW warns you when you drift out of your lane without meaning to, such as crossing the lane markings without using your turn signal. The alert can be visual, a sound, or a vibration. It does not warn you about hard braking or general changes of direction.
AEB works in two steps. First it warns you of the danger, and if you ignore the warning, it takes over and performs an emergency stop. It does more than just warn you, and it does not brake without warning first.
These headlights dim or switch off specific sections of the beam around oncoming or leading vehicles, reducing brightness only where needed. The rest of the road stays lit with high beams. They do not slow the car down, and the quality of the light stays the same.
AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) brakes hard on its own when it detects an imminent collision and you haven't reacted in time. Steering corrections come from lane-keeping systems, and emergency calls come from the eCall system.
Adaptive headlights turn the beam in the direction of a curve based on steering angle, speed, and sometimes navigation data. This lights up the path through the curve, especially at night or in poor visibility. They are not designed for hills or for daytime driving.
RCTA can apply the brakes at speeds below 15 km/h. It is meant for slow maneuvers like backing out of a parking space, where it detects vehicles approaching from the sides. 30 km/h and 50 km/h are too high for this system.
Yes. Aftermarket manufacturers can install ADAS on vehicles that did not come with them from the factory, such as lane departure warning or blind spot monitoring. "Never" is wrong, and "in every case" goes too far, because not every system fits every vehicle.
AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) applies the brakes by itself if it detects an imminent collision and you don't react in time. ISA (Intelligent Speed Assistance) deals with speed limits, and LDW (Lane Departure Warning) only warns you when you drift out of your lane.
TSR (Traffic Sign Recognition) is not allowed because the examiner needs to see that you can spot and respond to traffic signs on your own. Hill Holder and AEB don't replace this skill, so they are not banned.
TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System. It checks the air pressure in each tire and warns you if it goes too low or too high. Turbocharger and engine oil pressure are handled by other parts of the vehicle.
You can switch off ADAS either permanently or temporarily. These systems help with safety and comfort, but there are situations where you may want or need to turn them off. That rules out "never" and "only permanently."
If you ignore the warning, the system gently corrects the steering or brakes a wheel to guide you back to the center of the lane. You are still responsible for driving. Stopping for an obstacle is the job of AEB, and stopping with the hazard lights on belongs to emergency stop systems, not lane keeping.
Fatigue detection watches for signs of tiredness, such as your driving pattern or eye movements, and warns you to take a break. That helps prevent crashes caused by drowsiness. It does not stop the vehicle or take over the steering.
RCTA is short for Rear Cross Traffic Alert. It uses rear sensors to detect vehicles approaching from the sides while you back up. LDW is Lane Departure Warning, and ACT is not a recognized ADAS name.
Start-Stop turns off the engine when it is idling, for example when you are stopped at a light, to save fuel. Pressing the clutch actually restarts the engine, and the system never shuts it off at high revs.
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) lights up a dashboard warning when a tire loses pressure, so you can fix it before it becomes dangerous. ISA helps with speed limits, and e-Call automatically calls emergency services after a crash.
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) warns you about vehicles approaching from the sides while you back up, for example out of a parking space. Warning about hard braking ahead or stepping in to prevent a rear-end crash is the job of other systems, like AEB.