It’s Common Sense! Why Automotive Industry Groups are Pressing for Common ADAS Terminology
This is part two of a three-part series on the marketing of automated and autonomous driving systems to the public, and the impact of that marketing on public perception and understanding. Check out part one on “autono-trust.”
Many industries have an industry-specific language. For example, lawyers are renowned for their “legalese” (although we try to avoid it here). And while industry-speak is often derided, terminology that is common and understood among individuals within an industry group is important to facilitate communication and understanding. As summarized by the National Business Research Institute, “every business organization has its own language: Doctors, lawyers, plumbers and others all have specific terminology unique to their profession. For example, doctors have patients, lawyers have clients, and plumbers have customers. They use these and other not-so-common terms that are specific to their industry to create understanding and a sense of community within their individual organizational structures.”
It follows, then, that the absence of common terminology within an industry can lead to confusion and misunderstanding—which is why a consortium of automotive industry groups are advocating to “Clear the Confusion” by recommending a common naming system for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) as between manufacturers.
The “Clear the Confusion” effort began in 2019 when the National Safety Council, AAA, Consumer Reports, and J.D. Power joined forces to develop a list of standard terms for ADAS, following an AAA research report that concluded:
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems have become increasingly prevalent on new vehicles. In fact, at least one ADAS feature is available on 92.7% of new vehicles available in the U.S. as of May 2018. Not only are these advanced driver assistance systems within financial reach of many new car consumers (about $1,950 for the average ADAS bundle), they also have the potential to avoid or mitigate the severity of a crash. However, the terminology used to describe them varies widely and often seems to prioritize marketing over clarity. The lack of standardized names for automotive systems adds confusion for motorists when researching and using advanced safety systems.
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To date, automakers have devised their own branded technology names which, for example, has resulted in twenty unique names for adaptive cruise control and nineteen different names for lane keeping assistance. . . . Further complicating the issue, regulatory bodies and automotive standards organizations such as NHTSA and SAE have used multiple unique names such as collision imminent braking and forward collision mitigation systems to describe automatic emergency braking.
The coalition’s 2019 proposal included common names for five categories of ADAS technologies: collision warning, collision intervention, driving control assistance, parking assistance, and other driver assistance systems. The complete list can be found here.
In 2020, SAE joined the coalition, and the Department of Transportation officially endorsed the proposal for standardized naming. In a press release, then-Secretary of Transportation Chao noted, “the recommended ADAS terminology is based on ADAS system functionality. Currently, there is variance among manufacturers and standard language will ensure drivers are aware that these systems are designed to ‘assist,’ not replace an engaged driver.”
Despite the DOT’s endorsement, the federal government has not provided regulatory guidance much less mandates to OEMs to further standardization efforts toward the ultimate goal of greater awareness and understanding. This also leaves consumers without clear guidance in purchasing decisions and in operating ADAS-equipped vehicles. Just last year, in its 2021 ADAS Guide (available in its complete form only upon purchase), AutoVision News observed that “one common theme that emerged while preparing this guide is how drastically different the names are between automakers for systems with similar functionality, reinforcing the need for more standardized terminology to prevent customer confusion.”
The need for standardized terminology will only become more acute as ADAS technologies become increasingly available. This is apparent in the updated proposal released by the Clearing the Confusion coalition (now joined by Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE)) a few weeks ago. The updated list of common terms includes an entirely new category for “driver monitoring” and four new technologies.
In releasing the updated list, the coalition explained that “the standardized terms were created to provide clarity to consumers by naming and describing the functions of ADAS in a consistent, easy to understand manner. They are not meant to replace an automaker’s proprietary system or package name or those used for marketing purposes.” Nonetheless, the coalition asked “automakers to adopt the standardized terminology to help reduce consumer confusion about the intent and functionality of these systems.”
We view standardized terminology as essential to ensuring that the continued roll out of ADAS technologies is safe and successful for all involved. As SAE commented when it joined the coalition’s efforts: “with advanced safety technologies being added to new vehicles every year . . . it’s important that consumers understand the technologies they are using and common descriptions can help. . . . Educating drivers on key terms such as ‘Lane Keeping Assistance’ and ‘Automatic Emergency Braking’ helps drivers have consistent expectations and awareness of the functionality of their vehicle’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.”
Stay tuned for part three of our three-part series.
Copyright Nelson Niehaus LLC
The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Firm, its clients, or any of its or their respective affiliates. This blog post is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.