The importance of ensuring that advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane departure warning are in full working order has been conveyed in an updated Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness that was published by DVSA in mid-April.
Various other notable changes have been made, although not all are relevant to coach and bus. Among those that are is the introduction of a section relating to real-time vehicle location systems and their application to registered local services via the Bus Open Data Service (BODS) in England.
ADAS similarly makes its Guide debut in the latest version. The updated document states that when any maintenance is carried out on those systems, it must be done by “a competent person” and the OEM’s technical specifications must be met. That could include use of onboard diagnostics equipment to verify correct operation.
All such repair or calibration work should be documented and certified to confirm that the ADAS is functioning correctly. Notably, the relevant cameras and sensors should be checked for calibration when a windscreen is replaced or after adjustment of wheel alignment geometry, among other circumstances, the Guide notes.
External ADAS sensors should be checked for condition and security during safety inspections and drivers’ walk-round checks, while operators should have a documented policy on action to be taken if ADAS units are defective or deactivated.
Recently a Traffic Commissioner (TC) offered an opinion that if a vehicle with AEB that had been deactivated by the driver was involved in an accident that would have been prevented if it was active, there could be potential consequences for the driver and the operator. A charge of dangerous driving has been suggested by a transport lawyer.
Updates to the Guide have been made in collaboration with the TCs and trade associations. DVSA Head of Vehicle Policy and Engineering Neil Barlow has urged operators and drivers to familiarise themselves with the document, which runs to 112 pages. It can be downloaded from the gov.uk website.
The Guide also now lays out that where possible, drivers of coaches and buses on registered local services in scope of BODS should verify that the ticket machine or other provider of location data is working correctly. In addition, it says that operators “should ensure that the real-time location data is being supplied before the vehicle is operated on a registered service.”
DVSA describes the Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness as providing the industry “with best-practice advice on operator and driver responsibilities to ensure that their vehicles are safe to be on the road.”
