ADAC evaluates assistants: Tesla's Autopilot involves the driver too little

The crash classification Euro NCAP, with support from the automobile club ADAC, has for the first time also evaluated so-called "continuously supportive comfort assistants" because of their significant importance for the development of autonomous driving, as stated in the background information. With the new comparable testing methodology, an objective evaluation system for so-called highway assistants is now in place. These are characterized by the interaction of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Centering (LC). They are intended to help the driver maintain a constant speed, keep a safe distance, and stay in the lane.

"We are seeing very great progress in assisted driving," concludes Volker Sandmann, head of driver safety at ADAC, in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung. 

The driver must remain in control at all times

Ten vehicles from different classes have already been subjected to the new testing procedure, in which not only the functionality and effectiveness of the systems but also the integration of the driver were evaluated. This is crucial for ensuring safety, as the driver must always know what their vehicle is doing and remain alert to be able to intervene as necessary, the organizations explain.

German Premium Brands with Better Mix than Tesla

The evaluation also included the performance of emergency assistance under the questions: Does the system reliably initiate an emergency braking, does the technology respond to a system malfunction, or if the driver fails? The overall evaluation is expressed in the judgments "very good, good, satisfactory, and sufficient".

With the Mercedes-Benz GLE, the 3-series BMW, and the Audi Q8, three premium-class vehicles achieve a "Very Good". They all feature a current electronic architecture in the vehicle, unlike the Passat, which is basically based on the 2015 model. Overall, the Mercedes-Benz performed the best. All three tested models offer a high level of driver support, yet still involve the driver and leave them in control of the driving task. The emergency assistance is also rated well.

Tesla's Autopilot: Top in Function, Flop in Engagement

The compact vehicles Renault Clio and Peugeot 2008, on the other hand, only achieved a "sufficient" rating. Their assistance systems are less sophisticated and offer rather low support, according to the testers' judgment. The Tesla Model 3 received top marks for driver support and emergency assistance. However, the so-called "Autopilot" does not involve the driver adequately. Cooperation is also criticized: The system disengages as soon as the driver overrides it, according to the ADAC people. The still inactive fraud-proof driver monitoring also leads to deductions. However, it can be retrofitted via "over the air" software updates, acknowledge the testers. Therefore, the vehicle only achieves a "satisfactory" rating overall and lands in sixth place.

"We are convinced that assistants at the current level - as long as they are only assistants - only work with convincing driver involvement," emphasizes ADAC project manager for passive safety Andreas Rigling in the evaluation.

How great the purely numerical potential of the Tesla is, which operates with three cameras and has 40 times the computing power of its predecessor, is shown according to SZ in an attempt that is not yet part of the Euro-NCAP procedure. Here, a car in front swerves abruptly, yet the Tesla apparently comes to a confident stop in front of the obstacle. Even without clear lane markings, the software guides the vehicle through curves and intersections at the test site in Penzing. The blind spot monitoring also works reportedly very reliably. This does not mean that outside the test area, system malfunctions like those with the Passat cannot occur.

Also rated "satisfactory" were the VW Passat, the Nissan Juke, and the Volvo V60. The Kuga scored "good". This shows that balanced, modern systems are also available for common mid-range vehicles. However, Euro NCAP has been examining the reliability and functionality of driver assistance systems for a longer time.

Lane Assistants: Helpers with Great Potential

In a separate test of lane-keeping assistance systems from various manufacturers, the ADAC certified the electronic driving aids as having great potential for accident prevention or mitigation, especially on country roads. Leaving the lane is the most frequent cause of accidents, at just under 40 percent, that is registered in the ADAC accident database, the club outlines. As part of the evaluation of the Euro NCAP tests from 2018 and 2019, it has now been determined what the lane-keeping assistants of a total of 71 car models can do – and what they cannot.