Lanekeeping

Lane keeping refers to a set of driving safety features designed to help a vehicle stay within its lane and to prevent unintentional lane departures. In common usage, lane keeping includes Lane Departure Warning (LDW), which alerts the driver when the vehicle drifts toward a lane boundary, and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), which can actively guide the vehicle back toward the lane center by providing steering input or other corrective actions. These systems rely on sensors such as forward‑facing cameras, and sometimes radar or lidar, plus on‑board processing to identify lane markings, road edges, and the vehicle’s position within the lane.

Operation typically begins with detecting lane markings and determining the vehicle’s offset from the lane center. LDW issues an audible, visual, or haptic alert when an out-of-lane event occurs. LKA builds on this by applying steering torque, and occasionally braking or acceleration adjustments, to steer the vehicle toward the lane center. Many designs operate in concert with adaptive cruise control and require the driver’s hands to be on the wheel, with disengagement if hands are not detected or conditions suggest limited reliability.

Limitations include dependence on clearly visible lane markings and favorable weather. Faded or obscured markings, road construction, glare, snow, or sensor obstruction can reduce performance. The technology is intended as an aid rather than a substitute for attentive driving and may disengage in certain conditions or settings.

Regulatory and practical context: Lane keeping features are widely marketed as driver-assistance technologies and are typically categorized as Level 2 under common autonomy frameworks, meaning the system can assist but the driver remains responsible for monitoring and control.