Glossary

Full Self-Driving (FSD) is Tesla's advanced driver assistance system designed to enable vehicles to navigate and operate autonomously under certain conditions. FSD can handle tasks like automatic lane changes, traffic light recognition, parking, and even navigating complex city streets, though the driver must remain attentive and ready to take over at any time. While FSD aims to eventually achieve full autonomy, it is currently classified as a Level 2 system, requiring human supervision for safe operation.

Operational Design Domain (ODD) refers to the specific conditions under which an autonomous vehicle is designed to operate safely. These conditions include factors like geographic area, types of roads, weather conditions, and speed limits. For example, a vehicle might be fully autonomous in urban environments with clear weather (its ODD), but require human intervention outside of those conditions. ODD defines the boundaries within which the vehicle's autonomous systems are capable of functioning reliably.

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety system designed to alert drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane. Using cameras and sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW provides visual, audible, or haptic warnings if it detects lane deviation without the use of a turn signal. This helps prevent accidents caused by distracted driving or drowsiness. While LDW does not automatically steer the vehicle, it serves as a valuable alert system to keep drivers focused and within their lane.

Intelligent Speed Assistance/Adaptation (ISA) is a vehicle safety system that helps drivers comply with speed limits by automatically adjusting the vehicle's speed. Using GPS data, cameras, and speed limit databases, ISA can either alert the driver when they're exceeding the speed limit or actively reduce the vehicle's speed to stay within legal limits. The system enhances road safety by reducing speeding-related accidents and promoting compliance with traffic laws. ISA is increasingly becoming a standard feature in modern vehicles to support safer driving behavior.

Pedestrian Crash Avoidance Mitigation (PCAM) is a safety system designed to prevent or reduce the severity of collisions with pedestrians. It uses sensors, cameras, and radar to detect pedestrians in or near the vehicle's path and can automatically apply the brakes if the driver doesn't respond in time. PCAM systems often provide warnings or intervene with emergency braking to mitigate or avoid crashes. This technology enhances safety in urban environments, where pedestrian traffic is high and the risk of collisions is greater.

Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are a safety feature in vehicles designed to prevent the wheels from locking up during hard braking, which can cause skidding. This system enhances vehicle stability and reduces stopping distances, especially on slippery or uneven surfaces. Modern vehicle ABS are now integrated with electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control systems (TCS). These systems work together to improve vehicle control beyond preventing wheel lockup. Modern ABS is faster, adaptive and more precise, thanks to improved sensors and computer algorithms, allowing for better performance in various road conditions.

Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) is an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technology that uses cameras and image processing algorithms to detect and interpret road signs. By recognizing speed limits, stop signs, and other traffic signals, TSR helps drivers stay informed about current road conditions and rules. This system enhances driving safety and convenience by providing real-time alerts or assisting in vehicle control, such as adjusting speed based on recognized signs. TSR is often integrated with autonomous or semi-autonomous driving systems.

Also known as a collision avoidance or collision mitigation system, FCW continually monitors the road ahead to detect objects in the vehicle’s path, such as pedestrians, animals, or other vehicles. In the event of an imminent collision, the system warns the driver through audio or visual signals so that they can take evasive action, e.g., by applying the brakes or steering. 

The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is designed to reduce the risk of skidding. It does this by applying the brakes to the relevant wheel(s) and decreasing engine power if it detects oversteer or understeer during cornering, evasive maneuvers, sudden changes in road conditions, or traction. It's important to ensure that any accessories, such as a tow bar, are fitted and programmed correctly. When a trailer or caravan is connected, the ESP is automatically adjusted to account for the additional weight load and distribution.

Also known as automatic emergency braking (AEB), this equipment is an evolution of the collision warning system. Instead of providing just a warning to the driver, it engages the braking and/or steering without driver input to help lessen the impact of a crash or even prevent it from happening in the first place. 

When BSM recognizes a vehicle about to enter a blind spot, it warns you that a particular adjoining lane is unclear. Commonly, the alert comes as a yellow warning light on the outboard rearview mirror on whichever side the oncoming car is approaching. It may instead appear on your vehicle’s A-pillar (the pillar between the windshield and either front door), driver-information display, or head-up display.

LKA, or Lane-Keeping Systems, is a step up from Lane Departure Warning systems. Rather than simply warning a driver of a lane departure, LKA corrects the line of travel automatically, steering it back into position without any driver input. Some vehicles also have an advanced version of this called Adaptive Lane Guidance. This system constantly makes adjustments to keep the driver in the center of their lane. 

A 360-degree camera system in a car provides a real-time view of the area surrounding it. The 360-degree camera tech combines the perspectives of several video cameras placed around the vehicle into one image, typically a top-down view. As you maneuver into a parking space, the 360-degree camera system shows nearby obstacles, helping you avoid impacts.

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) uses radar, lasers, cameras, or a combination of these tools to assess your surroundings. Its sensors and processors monitor the behavior of the car in front of you and adjust your car's speed to maintain a safe distance. It applies brakes when the car in front slows down and accelerates when it speeds up, all while staying within the set speed limit. In the future, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) could also be used to create a more detailed 3D map of the car's surroundings, but currently, no cars in America are equipped with LiDAR.