Perodua Smart Driver Assist explained

Perodua has been dishing out back-to-back hits; starting right away with the new Ativa in 2021, followed by the latest Myvi and second-gen Alza this year. The level of kit these Perodua cars have to offer is way beyond what their rivals offer for a particular amount of money. Today, we are going to discuss an important aspect of these Perodua cars where the automaker does not compromise at all and that’s safety.

These models come equipped with the Perodua Smart Drive Assist suite of active safety gears that not only protect the occupants, but also the people around the vehicle. It blends the driving experience with the camera- and sensor-based assistance and reaction techniques to reduce risks, and minimise blind spots to enhance safe driving practices. 

This advanced driver-assistance pack is divided into 4 categories based on the core parts of the driving patterns viz. 

• Advanced Safety Assist (ASA)
• Driving Assist
• Parking Assist 360°
• Headlamp Assist

Let’s know these categories in detail, starting with the ASA.

Advanced Safety Assist

It is a camera-based safety system that helps to reduce low-to-medium speed accidents occurring due to inattentive driving. The system gets activated by the stereo camera mounted on the windshield to detect vehicles and pedestrians. It comprises the following functions -

• Pre-collision Warning: Upon detecting a risk of a frontal collision, the system warns the driver via a buzzer and warning lights on the display metre. It operates when the speed difference between the front obstacle and the vehicle is 4 kmph to 120 kmph in case of vehicles and 4 kmph to 60 kmph in case of pedestrians

• Pre-collision Braking: This system alerts the driver with a buzzer and controls the brakes to avoid a collision or mitigate collision damage when there is a high risk

• Front Departure Alert: When the driver stops at a traffic light or in a jam and does not realise that the vehicle in front of the car has moved, this system comes into action. It notifies the driver to start moving

• Pedal Misoperation Control: When the stereo camera detects any obstacle within 4m in front of the vehicle at a speed lower than 10 kmph, it suppresses the engine output and alerts the driver with a buzzer. This prevents the car from colliding due to sudden acceleration

Driving Assist

The driving assist is a suite of features that makes the day-to-day drive easy while keeping things in control. 

• Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Brake Hold (only available in the new Alza): Replacing the conventional parking brake, this system controls the vehicle's motion when parked by just pulling a button

• Lane Departure Warning: Upon detecting unintentional departure from the travelling lane, this system warns the driver to get back into the lane or take corrective action as per the surrounding location

• Lane Departure Prevention: After giving the Lane Departure Warning, if the driver does not respond, then Lane Departure Prevention comes into play. It applies a small corrective force to the steering wheel while assisting the driver in keeping the vehicle in the lane

• Adaptive Cruise Control: The car can travel at a constant, pre-set pace with adaptive cruise control, as this system automatically adjusts the car’s speed to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of it. It comes with two modes - Constant speed control mode and Distance control mode

• Lane Keep Control: This active safety gear supports required steering operations to keep the vehicle within the road lane. It works in tandem with Adaptive Cruise Control

• Blind Spot Monitor: When driving in busy traffic conditions where two-wheelers frequently pass through the empty spaces, this system detects the nearby vehicles using indicators on the side-view mirror. This helps in changing lanes

Parking Assist 360° 

Parking requires a lot of guessing and cautious manoeuvring. For that matter, Perodua Parking Assist 360° can make your life easier. With a variety of camera- and sensor-based functionalities, it supports safe navigation while reducing the hassle and uncertainty. Included in the functionalities are -

• Panoramic View Monitor (only available in the new Alza): This 360° system offers complete visibility of the vehicle's surroundings for easy manoeuvring and parking at tight spots

• Rear Cross Traffic Alert: This system detects incoming or approaching vehicles from behind enabling the driver to reverse safely from the parking

• Reverse Camera: The Reverse Camera previews images from the back of the car on the display screen to help the driver when reversing

• Front & Rear Corner Sensors: Through the buzzer and indicator display, front and rear corner sensors inform the driver about the approximate distance between the car and any surrounding obstacles

Headlamp Assist

Proper visibility is essential for safe driving, therefore Perodua’s Headlamp Assist offers adequate illumination when the situation calls for it. It comprises -

• Auto High Beam: As per the brightness of the car’s surroundings, this responsive headlamp feature automatically switches the headlights between high and low beams

• Adaptive Driving Beam: While diffusing the glare to oncoming vehicles and assisting in forward visibility, this system contributes to safe night driving

Which of the above-mentioned active safety gear do you like the most? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: Perodua teamed up with MIDA to support local suppliers’ digital transformation