What is the difference between ADAS camera, radar and ultrasonic sensors?
Short answer: Cameras recognize lane lines, signs and objects, radar measures distance and closing speed to vehicles ahead or alongside, and ultrasonic sensors detect close obstacles at parking speeds.
A forward camera, usually mounted behind the windshield, is good at recognizing shapes and lines. It supports lane departure warning, lane keeping, traffic sign recognition and often automatic high beams. Its weakness is poor visibility from glare, fog or a dirty windshield.
Radar sends out radio waves and measures the reflection. It is very good at measuring distance and relative speed, which is why adaptive cruise control and many emergency braking systems use it. Corner radars at the rear handle blind spot and rear cross traffic alerts.
Ultrasonic sensors are the small round buttons in bumpers. They measure short distances with sound pulses and are used for parking assistance and some automated parking features. Many vehicles fuse camera and radar data so each covers the other's weak points, which is why one damaged sensor can disable several features at once.
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General guidance only. Follow the vehicle and tool manufacturer's procedures, and confirm vehicle coverage on the tool maker's list before buying.