What’s next for ADAS

We’ve seen the advantages that the TomTom ADAS Map brings – from eco routing to improving SAE level 1 and 2 driver assistance functions. Staying up to date with the latest trends in the industry, TomTom continues enhancing ADAS for the best driving experience possible.

As today’s consumers and governments demand a safer and more convenient driving experience, the market for automated driver assistance systems (ADAS) is booming. This can be seen from the fact that the TomTom ADAS Map has now surpassed 3 million SAE Level 1 and Level 2 automated vehicles since January 2019. With upcoming European legislation fueling the need for enhanced vehicle safety functions, we have revamped the TomTom ADAS Map Speed Limits to help drivers enjoy a safer, stress-free time on the road.

The growth of ADAS

Despite the sudden impact of the coronavirus pandemic on vehicle production in 2020, consumer demand continues driving long-term ambitions for ADAS and automated driving (AD). This growth is also exemplified by recent customer volumes. In September 2019, TomTom announced that the ADAS Map has powered more than 1.5 million SAE Level 1 to Level 2 automated vehicles. By the final quarter of 2020, this number has doubled to 3 million – and it just goes to show how strong the momentum is behind driver assistance and how the industry is prioritizing improvements to drivers' safety, comfort and efficiency.

How the automotive industry is adapting to upcoming legislation

As vehicles with AD systems become increasingly mainstream, regulations from the United Nations are also making certain technologies and safeguards for AD mandatory. The next will go into effect January 2021. Automated Lane Keeping (ALK) functions can then be activated only on roads where pedestrians and cyclists are prohibited and which, by design, are equipped with a physical barrier that divides the traffic moving in opposite directions. These conditions shall be ensured by the use of at least two independent means. For example, digital maps such as the TomTom ADAS Map could become a source of indicating where roads are divided with a physical separation.

With the European Commission making Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) mandatory for all newly manufactured light vehicles starting in 2022, automakers are rapidly adapting to advance their entire vehicle line-up. We can expect more OEMs to incorporate TomTom ADAS Map Speed Limits to accommodate this and for improved NCAP safety ratings.

Such legislative changes represent a significant development for mapmakers and automakers. TomTom has already taken steps to help automakers meet the upcoming regulations.

Raising awareness about how ADAS is changing the game

ISA can use cameras to identify speed limits for ADAS through traffic sign recognition. However, cameras often struggle to recognize conditional and implicit speed limits. They can also experience poor visibility due to bad weather, poor road infrastructure or obstruction of the road ahead TomTom’s solution to these issues is to incorporate digital map data containing verified speed limit information into ADAS functions.

Together with automotive industry partners, TomTom organized a virtual media event to share insights on how ADAS maps support ISA, along with information focused on the upcoming European ISA legislation.

Our long-standing partner Bosc Softtec explained current projects that contributed to the milestone 3 million automated vehicles using the TomTom ADAS Map. This included the leading Daimler Trucks Predictive Powertrain Control feature, and what’s next for the TomTom and Bosch partnership.

PSA Groupe of Advanced Engineering, explained the current ADAS features of PSA and how they continue to collaborate with TomTom. This includes speed limits and traffic signs content from the ADAS Map to improve Traffic Sign Recognition and functionality similar to ISA.

The future of ADAS

It’s evident that the ADAS market is continuing to thrive and, and the legislations put into place only accelerate the demand for ADAS maps. ADAS adoption will increasingly include features such as increased connectivity, paving the way for fully autonomous vehicles that are safe, comfortable, and road and fuel-efficient.