This Canadian province bans all cars equipped with Level 3 ADAS. Here’s why

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By: HT Auto Desk
| Updated on: 16 Apr 2024, 07:14 AM

  • British Columbia has banned all cars with Level 3 ADAS in the province, directly impacting the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Mercedes-Benz EQS.
Mercedes EQS 8
British Columbia has banned all cars with Level 3 ADAS in the province, directly impacting the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Mercedes-Benz EQS.

At a time when the global automobile industry is thriving towards adopting ADAS in an increasingly wide range of cars, the Canadian province of British Columbia has banned all cars with Level 3 ADAS. The province has recently updated its Motor Vehicle Act, prohibiting the use of vehicles with the Level 3 systems, which comes as a major clampdown on using such systems. The updated law makes it illegal to merely drive any Level 3 driving assist-equipped vehicle, even if the technology is not used.

The British Columbia government introduced the new rule on 18th March and enforced it into effect on 15th April. With this rule, driving a car in the province that comes equipped with Level 3 or above becomes illegal. However, currently, there are only two cars that come with Level 3 ADAS, which include the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Mercedes-BVenz EQS. This technology allows the drivers to go hands-off and eyes-off at a speed of less than 64 kmph.

This means if a person owns the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class or the Mercedes-Benz EQS, he or she will have to think twice before visiting the province. If caught, the person will be fined with a hefty amount ranging between CAD 368 and CAD 2,000 or even six months in jail as well.

Interestingly, while the British Columbia government has banned the cars equipped with Level 3 ADAS, future use of the technology is not ruled out. In a statement, the government has stated that new and emerging transportation technology needs further testing and policy adjustments before widespread use. The government also said that these new regulations will keep people safer on the roads and encourage even more use of active transportation, which is another step in modernizing the rules to keep up with new technologies that are changing how people are getting around.

First Published Date: 16 Apr 2024, 07:14 AM IST

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Think AWD and 4WD are the same? They are not. Here’s how they are different

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By: HT Auto Desk
| Updated on: 06 Apr 2024, 18:06 PM

Despite having the same working principle, AWD and 4WD are fundamentally different technologies meant for providing additional traction and channellin

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Toyota Land Cruiser
Despite having the same working principle, AWD and 4WD are fundamentally different technologies meant for providing additional traction and channelling power to multiple axles or wheels.

The automotive industry is full of complex and interesting jargon. AWD and 4WD are two of them. AWD means All-Wheel Drive, while the 4WD means 4 Wheel Drive. Interestingly, a large number of car buyers and car owners think both the AWD and 4WD are the same. However, this is a misconception. While the underlying principles of both these two technologies are driving all the wheels of a car, AWD and 4WD are not the same.

Also Read : Driving in hills can be a lifetime experience but requires sharp attention to detail. Key tips here

Here is a comprehensive explainer to help you understand the differences between AWD and 4WD.

All-Wheel-Drive (AWD)

The All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system powers all the four wheels of your car. There are two types of AWD systems, either the full-time AWD or part-time AWD. In full-time AWD, the system powers both the front and rear wheels all the time. On the other hand, the part-time AWD powers either the front or the rear wheels all the time. In both these two different types of AWD systems, the driver has no control over the power output a wheel or the set of wheels receive.

Based on the data received from a range of sensors, an onboard computer decides the amount of power, gauging the traction status of each wheel’s tyres. If the computer senses a certain wheel requires more power than the available amount, the AWD system sends additional torque instantly. In this process, the AWD system maximises the car’s traction in different driving conditions.

4-Wheel Drive (4WD)

The fundamental logic behind the 4-Wheel Drive (4WD) system is the same as the AWD, which is powering all the wheels. However, deep delving, the 4WD powers all four wheels of the car, with the energy channelled equally to the front and rear wheels. There are two types of 4WD systems, just like the AWD. These are full-time 4WD and part-time 4WD.

In full-time 4WD, all four wheels of the vehicle are powered at all times, while in part-time 4WD, generally the rear wheels are powered continuously with power sent to the front wheels only when needed. This is the area where the 4WD differs from an AWD, as the decision to send power to a set of wheels is taken by the driver manually through a button or a lever, not the vehicle’s onboard computer.

Additionally, a 4WD system gets two different modes, which are low-range and high-range. While the low-range mode is useful to maximise traction in low-speed or intense off-road situations, the the high-range mode improves traction in less intense off-roading and in slippery driving conditions like loose sand, gravel, and snow or ice.

First Published Date: 06 Apr 2024, 18:06 PM IST

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Indian govt panel wants BNCAP crash ratings tied to improved car connectivity

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By: HT Auto Desk
| Updated on: 11 Oct 2023, 16:28 PM

An Indian government panel has recommended that the automakers who step up connectivity features in their cars to communicate with other vehicles and external systems should score better ratings on Bharat NCAP crash tests, Reuters has reported. The panel has reportedly submitted a draft report, which aims to boost road safety as well as introduce a technical blueprint for the connected cars in India. The Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways would decide the next steps on it, claimed the report.

Connected car
The government panel has proposed the integration of V2X technology in connected cars in India that will help these cars communicate with each other as well as with other systems on the roads including traffic lights.

The proposal by the government panel reflects steps being weighed by the US, China and multiple other countries in Europe. The panel has reportedly proposed the integration of V2X technology in cars to reduce the risk of accidents and traffic congestion as well. With the V2X technology, the connected cars will be able to communicate with other vehicles as well as with other connected systems on the roads, including traffic lights, claimed the report.

The report claims that the 58-page draft proposal has stated that most of the traffic issues in India occur because of non-line-of-sight scenarios. “Most sensors do not work well in these scenarios and V2X fills the gap,” the proposal reportedly added, referring to the connected car technology commonly known as vehicle-to-everything (V2X). The panel reportedly wants the V2X technology to be considered for inclusion in India’s Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) for car safety ratings. This move comes in line with developments abroad. However, the panel didn’t set any deadline for the adoption of its recommendations.

India is known as a country with an alarmingly high number of road accidents, which cause lakhs of deaths and critical injuries to many people every year. If this proposal introduced by the government panel makes it to rule, it could force the automakers to equip the connected cars with technology using the airwaves to send warnings between drivers and communicate with other road systems.

Currently, the Bharat NCAP doesn’t mandate features to be included by car manufacturers, Instead, it assigns star ratings based on the impact of collisions. However, if the proposals by the government panel are to be considered we may see the government mandating the automakers to equip their connected cars with some advanced features.

At present, some cars on Indian roads feature forward collision warning and emergency braking technology. However, mostly these cars use sensors that can be triggered by close proximity. V2X is a more advanced and connected form of this warning technology, as it relies on a dedicated network to issue warnings even kilometres ahead, which enables the driver to be alert well ahead.

First Published Date: 11 Oct 2023, 16:28 PM IST

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