ADAS – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: Are they right for your fleet?

Driver safety is a priority across the heavy trucking industry. Thanks to incorporation of newer technology, like predictive maintenance, drivers have already experienced increased levels of pre-emptive safety measures. The incorporation of an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) could take driver safety even further – but before you decide to take that step, you need to understand what ADAS is, what it isn’t, and how it will impact the safety of your fleet drivers.

What do Advanced Driver Assistance Systems do?

ADAS incorporate a number of resources designed to keep drivers aware of their surroundings and the right information for them to act accordingly. ADAS employs systems you may already be familiar with if your everyday vehicle is a newer model.

Much of ADAS is geared toward to preventing accidents before they can happen. For instance, cameras and radar facilitate systems like speed alerts, automatic braking, lane assist, blind spot monitoring, and additional measures to give drivers the assistance they need during long drives.

Utilizing this type of technology can go a long way in preventing accidents and giving drivers current information about traffic and other hazards on the road. Implementing systems like LiDAR and radar give drivers even more details about the terrain on which they are driving, increasing their ability to take proactive safety measures as needed.

What don’t Advanced Driver Assistance Systems do?

When ADAS first arose as a likely trend for heavy trucking fleets, many drivers worried that it was a short leap from ADAS to totally automated trucks. However, ADAS only provides vital information – it does not take the place of a skilled, experienced driver. It is up to the driver to use the information he or she receives in an appropriate manner if they want to truly increase safety.

In the same vein, ADAS does not have to be one specific set of systems. Drivers may find so much information to be overwhelming, and it would make sense to incorporate one or two elements of ADAS at a time, to give drivers the opportunity to learn and understand the system and information it gives them. Driver input is critical to the success of any ADAS system.

Your driver’s safety is number one on your priority list – which is why you’ll want to do your own research to learn if Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are the right choice for your fleet. Dickinson Fleet Services understands how important driver safety is for both your fleet and everyone on the road, so give us a call today to learn how we make safety the first stop across all parts of our business.

More on Dickinson Fleet Services

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Dickinson Fleet Services (DFS) has grown to become one of the largest independent fleet maintenance and management companies in the country. DFS is the leading provider of on-site mobile maintenance and repair services nationwide, offering mobile on-site maintenance and repair services for light, medium and heavy-duty trucks and trailers with over 500 mobile units operating nationwide. DFS services fleet customers with 23 maintenance facilities each offering select services from accident repair, paint, refurbishment and dedicated technician services, combined with an in-house CARES CALL center providing 24/7 repair assistance. DFS has made significant investments in training and technology, including WebWrench® (maintenance tracking and scheduling through proprietary technology) and TRAIT® (real-time reporting and dynamic preventative maintenance inspections processed through a proprietary field service application) and is the only fleet services company in the nation to provide both fleet maintenance and management to its customers nationwide. www.dickinsonfleet.com