Modern vehicles are equipped with increasingly complex systems that take over control functions and make life easier for the driver. However, statistics show that owners do not always trust these electronic assistants and often turn them off. There are many reasons for this distrust, and the key one is the vulnerability of sensor systems to external factors.
Even if a model does not have a full-fledged autopilot, it is often equipped with "organs of vision" — cameras, radars, and lidars. These sensors are needed to warn about approaching objects or for full control. But in critical situations, they can fail, and the driver has to rely solely on their own attentiveness.
Weather Conditions: The Main Enemy of Sensors
The cheapest and most common sensor is the camera, but it is also the most vulnerable. A downpour can create a "wall of water" in front of the optics, completely blinding the system. This is particularly relevant for models such as Subaru or Tesla, where cameras are the only organ of vision. Other types of sensors see better in the rain, but they are not perfect either.
Snowfall is even more dangerous for electronics. Heavy snow blocks not only cameras but also radars scanning the space with radio waves. Lidars — laser sensors used to build a 3D picture of the world — penetrate the snowy gloom even worse. In such conditions, the number of systems capable of backing up the driver is critically reduced.
In thick fog, cameras and lidars are also useless: micro-droplets of moisture prevent the passage of light rays. Radars, especially those responsible for short and medium range, perform best here. This is why car manufacturers often duplicate cameras with radar systems.
Blinding and Darkness
Bright light, like human eyes, easily blinds cameras. A low-lying sun at sunrise or sunset can completely paralyze safety systems until the rays turn away from the optics. This partly applies to ultrasonic sensors scanning the space within a radius of up to 2 meters.
Darkness is also a problem for ordinary cameras. To solve this problem, designers install infrared cameras. This technology, proven on tanks, allows dangerous objects to be detected even before the headlights shine on them. Darkness does not bother radars, lidars, and ultrasonic sensors at all.
False Alarms and the Human Factor
Sometimes safety systems react to steam or smoke (for example, from sewers) as a physical object, creating an emergency situation. Such excessive vigilance is a consequence of the work of algorithms that designers continue to improve.
However, problems arise not only due to the weather. Alexander Cherevko, head of the service and technical support division of Robert Bosch in Ukraine, points out another critical aspect:
"It happens that auxiliary systems using cameras and radars do not work as the designers intended. Even in good weather. A car in adaptive cruise control mode may catch up with the vehicle ahead, lose its lane, or hit obstacles. The reason here is not the imperfection of the design, but the fact that something was violated in the car during operation — either by the driver or by the auto service workers".
All such systems undergo multiple tests and certification before being launched into series. Under normal conditions, they work adequately. But interference with the design or improper operation can disable even the most advanced "eyes" of the car.