Why is ADAS not fulfilling its potential to reduce road accidents?

Rapid evolution of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) is transforming vehicle safety, yet knowledge gaps, unknown long-term performance and costly post-crash sensor replacement limit their realised benefit.

This project will:

1. Observe and analyse the real-time behaviour of drivers operating ADAS safety features
2. Quantify if and how ADAS effectiveness degrades with age and usage to refine IAG’s Vehicle Risk Index; and
3. Prototype an evidence-based stress-test protocol that certifies radar sensors for safe reuse after collisions.

Together these workstreams aim to contribute towards enabling better-informed motorists, more accurate risk pricing, and more sustainable repair practices.

Participants

• Insurance Australia Limited (IAG)
• Queensland University of Technology

Project background

ADAS are now fitted to the majority of new vehicles, but three barriers reduce their life-saving potential in Australia:

1. Misuse and misunderstanding – driver over-confidence, mode confusion or simply lack of understanding about the benefits of specific ADAS may lead to preventable crashes.
2. Unknown durability – little is known about how sensing systems (cameras and radar) age, which may potentially undermine insurer risk models and consumer resale value.
3. Post-crash waste – sensing modules are routinely scrapped after minor collisions because no validated workshop test confirms continued performance.

The project aims to improve driver behaviour and deliver safer roads, lower claims costs and reduced e-waste, directly aligning with National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 (safer vehicles) and the Australian Government’s circular economy agenda./ Australian Government’s National Road Safety strategy commitment to deliver significant reductions in fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.

Project objectives

The project objectives are to:

• Investigate how to improve driver behaviour by developing, piloting and evaluating a tailored ADAS education package that measurably lifts knowledge and correct use.
• Understand and quantify ADAS performance decay over vehicle life and embed the findings in IAG’s Vehicle Risk Index (VRI) for more accurate risk assessments.
• Enable safe sensor reuse by creating a stress-testing protocol for automotive sensor units that will evaluate, post incident, the capacity of the sensors and the impact on the ADAS features.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!