Present-day electric cars aren’t just about the speed & acceleration. They are smart co-pilots which take you from one place to another safely. These cars are powered by a system known as ADAS. In this blog, EVJoints brings you the hows & whys of ADAS and a lot more:
What is ADAS?
ADAS or Advanced Driver Assistance System is the ‘brain & senses’ that turn a regular electric car into a much smarter & safer machine. It uses a combination of sensors, cameras, computers & software to perceive the environment around the vehicle and either assist the driver or take partial control when needed.
What types of sensors does ADAS use?
ADAS can use multiple types of sensors, but the two most common are cameras & radar. Many cars combine both.
How does camera-based ADAS work?
Camera-based ADAS looks at the world through cameras and tries to understand the scene exactly the way an attentive driver would. Camera-based ADAS recognizes shapes, colours & text. Its performance can drop during rains, fog & low light. Common camera-based ADAS features include: lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, pedestrian detection, driver drowsiness alert, automatic headlight control, etc.
How does radar-based ADAS work?
Radar-based ADAS relies on radar sensors to make measurements around the vehicle. It works in all weather & lighting conditions. Common radar-based ADAS features include: adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind spot detection, automatic emergency braking, etc.
What about a combination of camera-based & radar-based ADAS?
Sensor fusion in ADAS (combining camera-based & radar-based systems) has become standard in many premium electric cars sold in India. This fusion enables Level 2 ADAS features like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) & Blind-Spot Monitoring, thereby improving safety on Indian roads.
Most electric cars in India use a combination setup for ADAS (cameras + radar).
ADAS Features: Do they make EVs smarter & safer?
| ADAS Feature | Makes EV Smarter | Makes EV Safer |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) + Traffic Jam Assist | Yes | Yes |
| Lane Keeping Assist / Lane Centering | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian/cyclist detection | Yes | Yes |
| Blind-Spot Monitoring & Active Assist | Yes | Yes |
| 360° Bird’s Eye Camera + Parking Sensors | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Monitoring System (DMS) | Yes | Yes |
| Highway Assist / Level 2+ hands-off (FSD Supervised, Super Cruise, BlueCruise, Drive Pilot) | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic lane-change on highways | Yes | Yes |
| Over-the-air (OTA) software updates for ADAS | Yes | Yes |
| Occupancy / Child & pet presence detection | No | Yes |
| Instant torque + regenerative braking blending | Yes | Yes |
| ADAS Feature | What it does | How it makes the EV smarter | How it makes the EV safer |
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) + Traffic Jam Assist | Maintains speed and distance to the car ahead, can go down to a full stop and resume | Uses radar + cameras; one-pedal driving in many EVs makes stop/go buttery smooth | Reduces rear-end collisions by ~50–70 % (IIHS/NHTSA data) |
| Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) / Lane Centering | Gently steers to keep you in lane, or actively centers the car | High-torque instant electric motors make steering corrections faster and smoother | Prevents unintentional lane drift (cause of ~40 % of fatal crashes) |
| Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian/cyclist detection | Slams on the brakes if you’re about to hit something | 360° camera + radar + ultrasonics; regenerative braking adds extra bite | Euro NCAP credits AEB with cutting pedestrian fatalities by up to 40 % |
| Blind-Spot Monitoring & Active Blind-Spot Assist | Warns you + can steer/brake if you try to change lanes into a car | Side radars are standard on most EVs | Eliminates most blind-spot collisions |
| 360° “Bird’s Eye” Camera + High-Res Parking Sensors | Shows overhead view and ultra-close obstacles | Multiple high-res cameras now standard (Tesla, Rivian, Hyundai/Kia, etc.) | Makes parking and low-speed maneuvers almost crash-proof |
| Driver Monitoring System (DMS) | Infrared camera watches your eyes/face; nags or slows car if you’re distracted | Tesla, Ford BlueCruise, GM Super Cruise, Mercedes Drive Pilot all have it | Proven to reduce distracted-driving incidents dramatically |
| Highway Assist / “Level 2+” hands-off systems (Tesla FSD Supervised, GM Super Cruise, Ford BlueCruise, Mercedes Drive Pilot) | Combines ACC + lane centering + auto lane changes on mapped highways | Over-the-air updates keep getting smarter (neural nets, more data) | Euro NCAP & IIHS 2024–2025 tests show these systems cut crash rates 40–60 % when used properly |
| Occupancy / Child-presence detection | Uses radar or weight sensors to detect forgotten kids/pets and alerts owner | Many new EVs (Kia EV9, Rivian R1S, Tesla, Hyundai Ioniq 5/9, etc.) have it | Prevents heat-stroke tragedies |
Why electric cars come with better ADAS systems than petrol/diesel cars?
Electric cars often appear to have more advanced or more capable ADAS than fuel-powered cars. This is because of:
Scan the barcode and download the EVJoints app to find 6,000 EV charging stations across various networks.
Click & download the EVJoints app to find 6,000 charging stations.
- Bigger batteries which means plenty of power for dozens of cameras, radars, lidar (if equipped).
- Big touchscreens.
- Over-the-air (OTA) updates which allows new ADAS features online that a petrol/diesel car would need a dealer/service station visit for.
- Electronic braking system which makes emergency stops more controlled.
What are the different ADAS levels?
ADAS levels are based on the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) automation levels. These are the global standards for defining how much driving assistance or autonomy a vehicle has.
| SAE Level | Common Name | What the Driver Must Do | What the Car Can Do (Simultaneously) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 0 | No Automation | Driver does everything | Only warnings (e.g., lane departure warning, blind-spot alert) |
| Level 1 | Driver Assistance (ADAS 1) | Driver must steer, brake, accelerate AND monitor | Car can control either steering OR speed (not both at once) |
| Level 2 | Partial Automation (ADAS 2) | Driver must constantly monitor and be ready to take over instantly | Car controls BOTH steering AND acceleration/braking at the same time under certain conditions |
| Level 2+ | Advanced Level 2 (informal) | Same as Level 2 (driver still responsible) | More capable sensors, better performance, automatic lane changes, etc. |
| Level 3 | Conditional Automation | Driver can take eyes off the road in specific conditions; must be ready to intervene when requested | Car drives itself completely in defined situations (e.g., highway traffic jam) |
| Level 4 | High Automation | No driver needed in specific areas or conditions | Car can drive itself and even park itself without anyone inside |
Electric Cars in India & Their ADAS Levels:
Most electric cars in India come with ADAS level 2 & 2+. These include Tata Nexon EV, Tata Curvv EV, MG ZS EV, Kia Carens Clavis EV, BYD Atto 3, BYD Seal, Hyundai Creta Electric, Hyundai IONIQ 5, Mahindra XEV 9e, Mahindra BE 6, etc.
What is Lidar & Ultrasonic sensors in ADAS?
While cameras & radar form the foundation of ADAS, modern EVs add two more layers of sensing: Lidar & Ultrasonic sensors. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) uses laser pulses to create a 3D map of your surroundings with centimeter-level precision. Ultrasonic sensors use sound waves to detect close-range obstacles, and is ideal for parking.
ADAS & India: Why it matters for Indian electric car owners?
In India, all electric car manufacturers are introducing ADAS features even in mid-range EVs, making safety more accessible. As EV charging networks and trip planning tools (like on the EVJoints app) evolve, these intelligent driver aids complement the connected driving experience.
Conclusion:
ADAS isn’t about taking control away from drivers, it’s about helping them drive safer. It is enabling our EVs to be more like a thinking companion than a simple machine.
For more insights on EVs & EV charging, visit EVGuide by EVJoints.
