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Safety first: Why ADAS cars are the talk of town
Summary
Why has it become fashionable to talk about ADAS and what is spurring its growth?
NEW DELHI : Earlier this month, carmaker Hyundai announced plans to offer advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across its entire product range in India. Why has it become fashionable to talk about ADAS and what is spurring its growth? Mint explains:
What is ADAS and how many cars use it?
ADAS uses a system of sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence to enhance a driver’s ability to drive safely and comfortably. Depending on the degree of automation, ADAS is offered in 5 tiers, with tier 5 being fully autonomous driving. ADAS can keep passengers safe by providing several layers of active safety functions which can prevent accidents—detecting pedestrians on the road, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, parking assist, lane keeping assist, and fully autonomous driving. In FY23, ADAS-equipped cars accounted for nearly 2% of total passenger vehicle sales in India.
What are the factors spurring its growth?
The growth of ADAS in India is closely linked to improving road infrastructure. India is building several six- and eight-lane expressways where speed limits of 100 km/hour or 120 km/hour are at par with developed countries with sophisticated road networks. Driving at such high speeds benefits from technologies like ADAS which can enhance safety. Moreover, the expansion of expressways and the standardization of road markings and signage make it easier for ADAS features like lane-keeping assist and lane-departure alerts to operate effectively, according to a Crisil report.
Which car makers offer ADAS in India?
Mahindra & Mahindra and MG account for 70%-80% of ADAS-equipped models sold in India. Of these, Mahindra’s XUV700 SUV accounts for nearly 50%. MG offers ADAS across its entire product range. Hyundai, Kia and Toyota offer it in their top-end models. However, Hyundai says it plans to offer ADAS across its range of cars over the next few years.
Are customers now prioritizing safety?
Safety is now a key factor influencing car buyers. Not too long ago, it was seen as seatbelts and airbags. Now, buyers want more and at affordable prices. Many Tata Motors and Mahindra cars have got 5-star ratings in global new car assessment programme (GNCAP) crash tests. More firms are following this playbook: Hyundai has standardized six airbags in all its cars. Maruti Suzuki, which stayed away from GNCAP, is also offering models for crash testing under the domestic BNCAP.
How big will the ADAS market be?
India is currently at a nascent stage of ADAS adoption, focusing on automation levels L1 and L2 in premium SUVs and sedans. Regulation and standardization are key to boosting confidence in the ADAS ecosystem. Premium SUVs are likely to be the growth drivers, with Crisil estimating mid-sized SUVs to have up to 20% ADAS penetration by 2028, and 6-10% from nearly nil in the case of compact UVs and hatchbacks. It expects the market for ADAS components like cameras and sensors to grow six times by FY28.
