ADAS - Lane departure warning systems

Lane keeping assist (LKA) warns you about lane departures and automatically takes corrective action, which means steering the car back to its lane. 

Lane centering assist (LCA) is currently the most advanced form of lane monitoring technology. This system proactively keeps your vehicle centred on its lane. It utilises automatic steering to make constant adjustments based on road markings identified using a camera mounted on the front of the car.

The combination of a lane departure warning system and lane keeping assist is called an emergency lane keeping system (ELKS).

None of the aforementioned systems are designed to steer the car without a driver.

A lane departure warning system uses a camera to detect lane markings ahead of the car and monitor the position of the car on its lane. When the system detects that the vehicle is leaving its lane, it warns the driver with visual, audible or steering wheel vibration warnings, for example. 

A lane departure warning system will not warn the driver when they use a direction indicator.

Lane departure warning and lane keeping assist systems need to be able to detect painted road markings. If the road markings are partially covered by snow, ice or fallen leaves, for example, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist systems may not be able to tell when the car is leaving its lane. The camera lens can also be blinded by direct sunlight, preventing it from detecting road markings. Furthermore, the systems may not work correctly in road work areas, for example. 

The systems will not intervene in the crossing of the centre line if the driver uses a direction indicator to avoid a cyclist on the side of the road, for example. If you forget to use a direction indicator in such a situation, you may be surprised by the steering adjustment made by the lane keeping assist system. However, the force used for the adjustment is always low enough to allow you to bypass the system by keeping the steering under control. 

Familiarise yourself with your vehicle’s manual. The manual will tell you where the system’s sensors are located and provide instructions on how to use the system and for situations where the system might not function correctly or at all.

Always be aware of your surroundings and the traffic on adjacent lanes while driving. Always keep your car’s sensors, cameras and radars clean to ensure that the system functions correctly.