With a federal investigation ongoing into deaths caused by Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) self-driving vehicles, along with several lawsuits against the carmaker from victims' families, self-driving cars are no longer being seen as the next step in automotive evolution. Instead, automakers are increasingly turning to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as the stepping stone on the way to full automation.
According to GlobeNewswire, the market for ADASs is expected to surpass $60.54 billion by 2028, partially driven by the ongoing development of self-driving systems.
Rather than serving as fully driverless technology, ADASs fall under what safety rating agency the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) calls "partial autonomy". These devices rely on monitors to ensure that drivers are still engaged with the road while the ADAS is in use. This includes things like the drivers' gaze and their grip on the steering wheel.
General Motors' (NYSE: GM) Super Cruise is at the front of the pack for ADASs, but similar projects are also underway at Mercedes-Benz (OTC: MBGYY), BMW (OTC: BMWYY), and Ford (NYSE: F). The Super Cruise uses highly detailed road maps, radar, cameras, and GPS to adjust things like speed and lane position as needed. Currently, the Super Cruise is only offered in a limited area on divided highways.
Driver assistance systems for less advanced maneuvers ranging from blind spot monitors to anti-lock brakes are already widely available. Autonomous emergency braking systems have been shown to cut police-reported rear-end collisions in half. Cars with these systems equipped also have a 30% lower risk of hitting a pedestrian.
"We saw that as beneficial tech, and the same will be true for some new tech. We will continue to push to get more features on more models to save more lives and prevent crashes," IIHS President David Harkey said.
However, Harkey also acknowledged that there could be issues in ow these systems are marketed and used by drivers.
"These are driver assistance systems, not driver replacement systems. Some consumers don't know the difference," he added.
In order to achieve the highest IIHS safety scores for partially autonomous vehicles, carmakers will need to provide monitors for both the drivers' hand positions and eye-line for ADAS. Some of these devices also emit an alarm if the driver fails to maintain eye-contact with the road or a grip on the wheel.
Without sufficient driver interactions, the ADAS disengages, meaning systems also need to be in place to safely slow and stop the vehicle in case the driver fails to retake control.
Many of those safety features have already been implemented by GM and other major carmakers developing ADAS models.
"Owners feel more refreshed, they feel more relaxed, yet they are still attentive," Super Cruise chief engineer Mario Maiorana said.
While ADASs may be gaining hold, carmakers definitely aren't abandoning the idea of self-driving cars. Tesla is far from alone in its efforts to dominate the self-driving car market, alongside other companies like Alphabet's (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Waymo and GM itself.
GM plans to roll out a more advanced version of the system called Ultra Cruise, which would cover most paved roads in the United States and Canada. According to the company, the system will be able to self-park, navigate preset routes, avoid close-object collisions with cars and pedestrians, and obey traffic lights and stop signs.