Driver-assistance systems from Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. are now available on three North American vehicles. Adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane-change assistant and rear-view camera are featured on the Chrysler 300, Audi Q7 and Jeep Commander respectively. The rear camera is also available on seven other Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles.
Hella's active driver-assistance systems are based on camera and ultrasonic technology, as well as infrared LIDAR-based (LIght Detection and Ranging) and 24 GHz radar.
The Chrysler 300 offers ACC technology. Using a LIDAR-based system, ACC uses infrared signals to detect another vehicle in the Chrysler’s path. Cruise control remains engaged in light to moderate traffic conditions without the need for constant adjustments. Hella's ACC helps keep vehicles at a specified distance and also provides drivers a warning by automatically triggering the brakes.
Audi's Q7 SUV contains Hella's radar-based lane-change assistant system, also known as the Audi Side Assist. The Audi system determines if objects are in the Q7's blind spot and also recognizes objects not visible in the rear-view mirror. When a vehicle enters the Q7's range of vision, a yellow vertical light strip illuminates on the corresponding side-view mirror. The lane-change assistant has two 24 GHz radar sensors integrated into the vehicle's bumper with a range of 164 feet. The system functions regardless of weather conditions.
The Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee, Chrysler Pacifica, Town & Country and Aspen, along with the Dodge Grand Caravan and Durango, feature Hella's rear-view camera, which has an integrated CMOS image sensor with an aperture angle of 130 degrees. The area behind the vehicle is visible, and when the vehicle engages in reverse, a color image adapted to external light influences is shown on the display. The image helps a driver recognize if objects are in the vehicle's path when backing up.