Driver-Assistance Name Game: What Automakers Call Their ADAS Features
Different automakers often use their own specific terms, names, and buzzwords to describe advanced driver-assistance safety features, such as lane-departure warning and collision warning. This guide, though, should cut down on the ADAS confusion.
Advanced driver-assistance systems may make repairs more expensive, but they do have the potential to make roads safer. However, even the best car safety features aren’t invincible or perfect. And if drivers don’t understand how their ADAS features work, there can be fatal consequences. So, it doesn’t help when automakers call the same feature by different names. The guide below, though, should make things clearer.
What are ADAS features?
Strictly speaking, ADAS features fall into the broad category of car safety features. And as their name implies, they assist the driver with operating a vehicle safely. But technically, things like traction control and ABS are driver-assistance features, too, Car and Driver says. So, what makes some of these features ‘advanced’?
Using traction control and ABS as examples, these safety features monitor your vehicle’s condition through sensor data. They don’t care what’s happening outside your car, just about its mechanical status. Advanced driver-assistance system features, on the other hand, actively monitor the surrounding environment and/or the driver, J.D. Power explains. That way, they can warn drivers about impending collisions and, in extreme cases, actively prevent them, the IIHS reports.
With that in mind, the following safety features are typically grouped into the ADAS category:
- Automatic emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control
- Adaptive headlights
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Forward- and rear-collision warning
- Front and rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane-departure warning
- Lane-keeping assist
Some consider self-parking to be an advanced driver-assistance feature, J.D. Power notes. However, as neither the IIHS nor the NHTSA describes it as such, it won’t be listed in this guide.
Automakers often use different names for their ADAS features
Besides the state of technology, one major issue with ADAS features is driver confusion. Sometimes this stems from dealership employees not explaining these safety features properly. But as noted earlier, a significant factor is “confusing” automaker-specific terminology, Consumer Reports says.
Some brands refer to their driver-assistance features fairly plainly. Others, though, use trademarked terms or ‘buzzwords’ instead. So, if you’re shopping based on safety features, the list below should help (names sourced from automakers and MotorTrend).
- Automatic emergency braking:
- Acura: Collision Mitigation Braking System
- Alfa Romeo: Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus
- Audi: Audi Pre Sense Front/City
- BMW: Emergency Brake Assist
- Buick: (Enhanced) Automatic Emergency Braking/Front Pedestrian Braking
- Cadillac: (Enhanced) Automatic Emergency Braking/Front Pedestrian Braking
- Chevrolet: (Enhanced) Automatic Emergency Braking/Front Pedestrian Braking
- Chrysler: Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
- Dodge: Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
- Fiat: Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
- Ford: Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
- Genesis: Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection
- GMC: (Enhanced) Automatic Emergency Braking
- Honda: Collision Mitigation Braking System
- Hyundai: Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
- Infiniti: Forward Emergency Braking
- Jaguar: High-Speed Emergency Braking
- Kia: Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist/Auto Emergency Braking & Warning
- Land Rover: High-Speed Emergency Braking
- Lexus: Pre-Collision System with Automatic Emergency Braking
- Lincoln: Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
- Maserati: Autonomous Emergency Braking
- Mazda: Smart Brake Support & Smart City Brake Support
- Mercedes-Benz: Active Brake Assist
- Mini: Automatic Emergency Braking
- Mitsubishi: Forward Collision Mitigation & Rear Automatic Emergency Braking
- Nissan: Automatic Emergency Braking & Rear Automatic Emergency Braking
- Polestar: Emergency Stop Assist
- Porsche: Collision and Brake Assist
- Ram: Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
- Subaru: Pre-Collision Braking
- Tesla: Automatic Emergency Braking
- Toyota: Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
- Volkswagen: Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist)
- Volvo: City Safety Collision Avoidance Technology
- Adaptive cruise control:
- Acura: Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow
- Alfa Romeo: Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go
- Audi: Adaptive Cruise Assist
- BMW: Distance Control/Adaptive Cruise Control
- Buick: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Cadillac: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Chevrolet: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Chrysler: Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go
- Dodge: Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go
- Fiat: Adaptive Cruise Control/Adaptive Speed Control
- Ford: Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control/Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go and Lane Centering
- Genesis: Smart Cruise Control with Stop/Start
- GMC: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Honda: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Hyundai: Smart Cruise Control
- Infiniti: Intelligent Cruise Control
- Jaguar: Adaptive Cruise Control with Queue Assist
- Kia: Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go
- Land Rover: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Lexus: Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
- Lincoln: Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go
- Maserati: Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go
- Mazda: Mazda Radar Cruise Control
- Mercedes-Benz: Active Distance Assist Distronic Cruise Control
- Mini: Adaptive/Active Cruise Control
- Mitsubishi: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Nissan: Intelligent Cruise Control
- Polestar: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Porsche: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Ram: Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go
- Subaru: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Tesla: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
- Toyota: Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
- Volkswagen: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Volvo: Adaptive Cruise Control
- Adaptive headlights:
- Acura: Auto High-Beam Headlights
- Alfa Romeo: Automatic High-Beam Headlamp Control
- Audi: High Beam Assist
- BMW: Automatic High Beams
- Buick: Automatic On/Off Headlamps
- Cadillac: Intellibeam Auto High-Beam Assist
- Chevrolet: Intellibeam Auto High-Beam Assist
- Chrysler: Automatic High-Beam Headlamp Control
- Dodge: Automatic High-Beam Headlamp Control
- Fiat: Automatic High-Beam Headlamp Control
- Ford: Auto High-Beam Headlamps
- Genesis: High Beam Assist
- GMC: Intellibeam Auto High-Beam Assist
- Honda: Auto High-Beam Headlights
- Hyundai: High Beam Assist
- Infiniti: Adaptive Front Lighting System
- Jaguar: Adaptive Front Lighting System
- Kia: High Beam Assist
- Land Rover: Adaptive Driving Beams
- Lexus: Intelligent High Beams
- Lincoln: Auto High-Beam Headlamps
- Maserati: Adaptive Headlights
- Mazda: Adaptive LED Headlight & High-Beam Control System
- Mercedes-Benz: Adaptive Highbeam Assist
- Mini: Adaptive Headlights
- Mitsubishi: Automatic High Beam
- Nissan: High Beam Assist
- Polestar: Active High Beam
- Porsche: Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus
- Ram: Adaptive Headlights
- Subaru: LED Steering Responsive Headlights with High Beam Assist
- Tesla: Adaptive Headlights
- Toyota: Automatic High Beams
- Volkswagen: High Beam Control (Light Assist)
- Volvo: Active Headlamps
- Blind-spot monitoring:
- Acura: Blind Spot Information System/Blind Spot Assist
- Alfa Romeo: Active Blind Spot Assist
- Audi: Audi Side Assist
- BMW: Active Blind Spot Detection
- Buick: Side Blind Zone Alert
- Cadillac: Side Blind Zone Alert
- Chevrolet: Side Blind Zone Alert
- Chrysler: Blind Spot Monitoring/Blind Spot Detection
- Dodge: Blind Spot Monitoring/Blind Spot Detection
- Fiat: Blind Spot Monitoring/Blind Spot Detection
- Ford: Blind Spot Monitoring/Blind Spot Detection
- Genesis: Blind Spot Detection
- GMC: Side Blind Zone Alert
- Honda: Blind Spot Information System
- Hyundai: Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist & Blind-Spot View Monitor
- Infiniti: Blind Spot Intervention System
- Jaguar: Blind Spot Monitor & Blind Spot Assist
- Kia: Blind-Spot Collision Warning & Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist with Blind-Spot View Monitor
- Land Rover: Blind Spot Assist
- Lexus: Blind Spot Monitor
- Lincoln: Blind Spot Detection & Blind Spot Information System
- Maserati: Active Blind Spot Assist
- Mazda: Blind Spot Monitoring
- Mercedes-Benz: (Active) Blind Spot Assist
- Mini: Blind-Spot Monitoring
- Mitsubishi: Blind Spot Warning & Active Blind Spot Assist
- Nissan: Blind Spot Warning
- Polestar: Blind Spot Information System with Steering Assist
- Porsche: Blind-Spot Monitoring & Lane Change Assist
- Ram: Blind Spot Monitoring
- Subaru: Blind-Spot Detection & Lane Change Assist
- Tesla: Blind Spot Collision Warning
- Toyota: Blind Spot Monitor
- Volkswagen: Active Blind Spot Monitor
- Volvo: Blind Spot Information System
- Collision warning:
- Acura: Forward Collision Warning System
- Alfa Romeo: Forward Collision Warning
- Audi: Pedestrian and Stationary Vehicle Detection
- BMW: Frontal Collision Warning
- Buick: Forward Collision Alert
- Cadillac: Forward Collision Alert
- Chevrolet: Forward Collision Alert
- Chrysler: Full-Speed Forward-Collision Warning
- Dodge: Full-Speed Forward-Collision Warning
- Fiat: Full-Speed Forward-Collision Warning
- Ford: Pre-Collision Assist
- Genesis: Forward Collision-Warning Assist
- GMC: Forward Collision Alert
- Honda: Forward Collision Warning
- Hyundai: Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
- Infiniti: Predictive Collision Warning
- Jaguar: Emergency Braking
- Kia: Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
- Land Rover: Emergency Braking
- Lexus: Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
- Lincoln: Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection
- Maserati: Forward Collision Warning Plus
- Mazda: Forward Obstruction Warning
- Mercedes-Benz: Collision Prevention Assist Plus
- Mini: Pedestrian and Front Collision Warning
- Mitsubishi: Forward Collision Mitigation with Pedestrian Detection
- Nissan: Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection
- Polestar: Adaptive Cruise Control & Pilot Assist
- Porsche: Collision and Brake Assist
- Ram: Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
- Subaru: Pre-Collision Braking
- Tesla: Forward Collision Warning
- Toyota: Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
- Volkswagen: Forward Collision Warning & Pedestrian Monitoring (Front Assist)
- Volvo: Collision Warning with Pedestrian Detection
- Cross-traffic alert:
- Acura: Rear Cross Traffic Monitor
- Alfa Romeo: Rear Cross Path System
- Audi: Audi Pre Sense Rear/Rear Collision Detection
- BMW: Cross-Traffic Alert Front
- Buick: Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Cadillac: Rear Cross Traffic Alert/Rear Pedestrian Alert
- Chevrolet: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Chrysler: Rear Cross Path Detection
- Dodge: Rear Cross Path Detection
- Fiat: Rear Cross Path Detection
- Ford: Cross-Traffic Alert
- Genesis: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- GMC: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Honda: Cross Traffic Monitor
- Hyundai: Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
- Infiniti: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Jaguar: Rear Traffic Monitor
- Kia: Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning
- Land Rover: Rear Collision Monitor & Rear Traffic Monitor
- Lexus: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Lincoln: Cross-Traffic Alert
- Maserati: Rear Cross Path
- Mazda: Rear Vehicle Monitoring
- Mercedes-Benz: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Mini: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Mitsubishi: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Nissan: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Polestar: Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation & Cross Traffic Alert with Auto Brake
- Porsche: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert with Rear Turn Assist
- Ram: Rear Cross Path and Trailer Detection
- Subaru: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Tesla: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Toyota: Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Volkswagen: Rear Traffic Alert
- Volvo: Cross-Traffic Alert & Rear Collision Warning
- Lane-departure warning:
- Acura: Road Departure Mitigation System & Lane Departure Warning System
- Alfa Romeo: Lane Departure Warning
- Audi: Lane Departure Warning
- BMW: Lane Departure Warning
- Buick: Lane Change Alert & Lane Departure Warning
- Cadillac: Lane Change Alert & Lane Departure Warning
- Chevrolet: Lane Departure Warning
- Chrysler: LaneSense Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist/Lane Departure Warning Plus
- Dodge: LaneSense Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist/Lane Departure Warning Plus
- Fiat: LaneSense Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist/Lane Departure Warning Plus
- Ford: Lane Keeping Alert
- Genesis: Lane Change Alert & Lane Departure Warning
- GMC: Lane Departure Warning
- Honda: Road Departure Mitigation System & Lane Departure Warning System
- Hyundai: Lane Keeping Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Infiniti: Lane Departure Prevention with Active Lane Control
- Jaguar: Lane Departure Warning
- Kia: Lane Keeping Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Land Rover: Lane Departure Warning
- Lexus: Lane Departure Alert
- Lincoln: Lane-Keeping System
- Maserati: Lane Keeping Assist
- Mazda: Lane Departure Warning System
- Mercedes-Benz: Active Lane Keeping Assist
- Mini: Lane Departure Warning
- Mitsubishi: Lane Departure Warning
- Nissan: Lane Departure Warning
- Polestar: Lane Keeping Aid
- Porsche: Lane Departure Warning
- Ram: LaneSense Lane Departure Warning
- Subaru: Lane Departure & Sway Warning
- Tesla: Lane Departure Avoidance
- Toyota: Lane Departure Alert
- Volkswagen: Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist)
- Volvo: Oncoming Lane Mitigation
- Lane-keeping assist:
- Acura: Lane Keeping Assist System
- Alfa Romeo: LaneSense Lane Keep Assist
- Audi: Active Lane Assist
- BMW: Active Lane Keeping Assistant
- Buick: Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Cadillac: Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Chevrolet: Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Chrysler: LaneSense Lane Keep Assist
- Dodge: LaneSense Lane Keep Assist
- Fiat: LaneSense Lane Keep Assist
- Ford: Lane-Keeping System
- Genesis: Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist
- GMC: Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Honda: Lane Keeping Assist System
- Hyundai: Lane Following Assist & Lane Keeping Assist
- Infiniti: Lane Departure Prevention
- Jaguar: Lane Keep Assist
- Kia: Lane Following Assist & Lane Keeping Assist
- Land Rover: Lane Keep Assist
- Lexus: Lane Keep Assist
- Lincoln: Lane Centering & Lane-Keeping System
- Maserati: Lane Keeping Assist
- Mazda: Lane-Keep Assist System
- Mercedes-Benz: Active Lane Keeping Assist
- Mini: Lane Keeping Assist
- Mitsubishi: Lane Keep Assist
- Nissan: ProPilot Lane Keeping Assist
- Polestar: Lane Keeping Aid & Pilot Assist
- Porsche: Lane Keeping Assist
- Ram: LaneSense Lane Keep Assist
- Subaru: Lane Keep Assist
- Tesla: Lane-Keeping Assist
- Toyota: Lane Tracing Assist
- Volkswagen: Lane Keeping System (Lane Assist)
- Volvo: Lane Keeping Aid
Partial-autonomy suites build on this technology
To make things easier on customers, automakers sometimes bundle their ADAS features into a single ‘suite.’ Toyota, for example, calls its suite Safety Sense, while Honda offers Honda Sensing and Subaru sells EyeSight. And Tesla, infamously, has AutoPilot, which leads to an important point.
Driver-assistance features, ADAS or otherwise, don’t make cars partially autonomous on their own. They have to be linked with additional features and software before they can get to Level 2 on the SAE scale. For instance, Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite has multiple ADAS features, but it requires an additional Prep Package to offer Level 2 partial-autonomy. Ditto with GM’s SuperCruise—it uses adaptive cruise control but is more than just that.
Navigating a safety spec sheet is difficult enough without having to keep multiple names in your head. But hopefully, this guide makes your next car shopping decision easier.
Follow more updates from MotorBiscuit on our Facebook page.
