July 26, 2022 – A coalition of driver safety advocates has called for standardizing the names of driver assist technologies. Having a clear set of definitions for driver assists should help consumers better understand what they’re shopping for.
Automakers often use their own unique names for new features as a marketing tactic. For example, Mazda refers to its automatic emergency braking system as “Smart City Brake Assist,” while Mercedes calls theirs “Active Brake Assist.” It’s a perplexing situation for consumers trying to understand new features on modern cars.
To solve the issue, the group has proposed a simple common naming system for driver assistance systems. It aims to clearly define the functions available with a given system. It also highlights that these systems are there to assist, not take over the driving task entirely.
