Active Safety Comes to Honda’s Mid-Range Cars

Sophisticated active safety systems are moving downrange from the top-line luxury vehicles where they first appeared; the new Honda Accord is available with the latest active and passive safety technologies, including Honda’s Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS). ADAS incorporates Honda’s Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and the Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS), which warns of an impending collision and even applies the brakes to minimise an impact.

The Adaptive Cruise Control system lets the driver choose a speed between 30 and 180 km/h, and a following distance to the vehicle in front. Using a radar sensor in the front grille, ACC monitors the distance to the leading vehicle and can apply up to a quarter of the maximum braking force. If even more braking is required, the system gives the driver an audiovisual warning.

The Lane Keeping Assist System is designed for dual carriageway or motorway use, wherein it helps the driver keep her car in its lane. The system detects the lane markings using a camera mounted at the top of the windscreen. If it senses the car about to leave its lane without the driver having signalled, LKAS automatically applies corrective steering at up to 80& of the necessary level, while issuing an audiovisual warning. The driver must provide the remaining 20% steering input.