When buying a new or nearly new car, it’ll almost certainly come with a range of useful technology designed to make driving easier and safer. Some, like cruise control, we use every day and are very familiar with, while others – such as autonomous emergency braking – may be more of a mystery.
Over the last few years, all sorts of clever tech that was previously the reserve of big, luxury SUVs has made its way into smaller, cheaper cars, with many of it now fitted as standard. You only need to look through the online configurator of most superminis to discover how much equipment is packed into everyday cars. However, having it fitted is one thing, but knowing how to use it properly is crucial.
So, to get a crash course in understanding everyday driver assists, we sent our Parkers video presenter, Hope Ellen, down to IAM Roadsmart – the UK’s leading road safety charity. Here, she would experience everyday driver aids in a 2022 Skoda Fabia, as well as getting tips and instruction from IAM’s Head of Driving & Riding Standards, Richard Gladman.
Lane Assist
Developed to help avoid drivers inadvertently leaving their lane, Lane Assist is a simple, but potentially life-saving driver aid fitted to the Skoda Fabia. The system works by detecting white lines and other distinctive road boundaries, warning the driver if they accidentally stray across or, in some cases, gently turning the wheel to stop them doing.
Of course, the downside for many is that this may seem intrusive. However, if used properly this isn’t the case in 99% of scenarios. For example, the system will not intervene if the user indicates to change lane or pulls out to overtake a stationary bus.
Also, if the car detects a deliberate manoeuvre to cross the white lines (say in the event of evasive action), the car won’t attempt to interfere. Despite this, some users may be tempted to switch it off, but as Richard explains, ‘once you know it’s there and how it’s working, you can use it to your advantage. Why would you not load the dice in your favour?’
Driver Alert
For those that regularly undertake long journeys, Driver Alert acts as a friendly reminder of when it’s time to take a break. By monitoring your driving style and patterns, the car can make a judgement on whether you are displaying signs of fatigue and then advise you to stop and take a break.
According to Richard, IAM advocates that you take a break every two hours or 100 miles, whichever comes first. The length of the break should be at least 15 minutes, ideally with an opportunity to consume food and drink to keep energy levels up.
Hill-Hold Control
Chances are, you will have learnt to drive on a car where a perfectly executed hill-start required deft use of the handbrake, clutch and accelerator. Such skills are great to have, but with Hill-Hold Control the process has been made a little easier.
Rather than having to manually hold the handbrake lever during hill starts, this driver aid automatically activates the brakes when the road gradient is higher than 5%. This means that you can simply release the clutch and press accelerator without having to worry about rolling back – thus bagging you your perfect hill start every time. To activate it on most cars, all you need to do is ensure that you come to a complete stop, then set off when ready.
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
It’s a driving assist we all hope we never have to use, but one that is absolutely crucial to the safety of modern cars, hence why the European Commission has decided to make it mandatory on all new cars from 2022.
Referred to as Front Assist by Skoda, the system uses radar to monitor the situation in front of the vehicle. If an impending collision is detected, the car will apply the brakes as quickly as possible to avoid contact or, if a crash is inevitable, reduce the severity of the impact.
Park Assist
Let’s face it, plenty of us have struggled with parking. It’s a dark art and one that just keeps getting harder to master as cars grow larger and easily kerbed alloy wheels become more popular. However, help is at hand in the shape of Park Assist – a clever piece of tech that takes care of a significant part of the parking process.
Simply press the Park Assist button before you approach a space, drive past slowly and wait for the car to detect the best spot for parking, then select the correct gears and cover the brake as instructed by the car. Both the steering and accelerator pedal are taken care of – easy!
The above are just some of the driver aids and assists available on modern cars, all of which have been designed in order to keep the vehicle’s occupants and other road users safe. Naturally, all systems work at their best when the user understands how they work, so we would always encourage you to read the manual or ask your retailer if you’re unsure about anything.
Finally, you are ultimately responsible for the car you are driving, so we’d advocate being fully aware of your surroundings and not relying entirely on the car’s onboard technology – no matter how clever or capable it may seem. If you want to know more about road safety and how to be a better driver, head over to the IAM Roadsmart website where there’s a wealth of resources on offer.
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