Fleet safety

ADAS, DMS and BSD Explained: What Each Fleet Camera Alert Does

ADAS watches the road, DMS watches the driver and BSD watches the blind spot. Each needs its own camera, and our devices differ in the alerts they give.

By Kumar Saurabh, Head of Overseas Business, SKYWONDER

October 1, 2026, 3 min read

ADAS, DMS and BSD are three AI alerts on fleet cameras, each with its own camera view. ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) watches the road ahead. DMS (driver monitoring system, also written DSM) watches the driver. BSD (blind spot detection) watches the side of the vehicle. Each warns the driver in the cab, then sends the event to the fleet platform.

ADAS: the road ahead

An ADAS camera faces forward from the top of the windscreen. Its software measures lanes, vehicles and people in the picture and gives these warnings:

Forward collision warning (FCW). The gap to the vehicle ahead is closing too fast.
Lane departure warning (LDW). The vehicle drifts across a lane marking.
Pedestrian collision warning (PCW). A person is detected in the vehicle's path.
Headway monitoring (HMW). The following distance, measured in seconds, is too short.
Front vehicle start. The vehicle ahead has moved off and yours has not.

Fleets fit ADAS to buses, trucks and delivery vehicles for the forward-collision and lane-departure warnings, and use the logged events in driver coaching.

DMS: the driver

A DMS camera faces the driver and uses infrared light, so it works at night. It follows the eyes, the mouth and the head position. What it alerts on depends on the device:

Device	DMS alerts
D9	Yawning, closed eyes, distraction, smoking, blocked camera
WD02 (optional)	Yawning, closed eyes, phone use, smoking, looking away, seatbelt, blocked camera
WD10 and WD11	Closed eyes, yawning, distraction, phone calls, smoking, face lost, blocked camera
WD12	Fatigue, distraction, smoking
S202 (optional)	Fatigue, smoking, blocked camera, unsafe driving behaviour
DSM Camera	Closed eyes, head nodding
AHD005	Drowsiness, yawning, closed eyes, distraction, hat or helmet

A BSD camera is mounted on the side of a truck or a bus and looks along the body. It detects vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in the zone the mirrors do not cover, and the recorder raises a left or right blind-zone alarm. Our BSD Camera records 1920 × 1080, and its viewing angle adjusts from 120° to 170° to suit the length of the vehicle. Fit the side furthest from the driver first.

What the three have in common

	ADAS	DMS	BSD
Camera faces	The road ahead	The driver	The side of the vehicle
Mounted	Top of the windscreen, centred	Dashboard or A-pillar; in the windscreen unit on the D9	Vehicle body
Covers	Rear-end and lane incidents	Fatigue and distraction	Side-swipes, cyclists
Needs	Calibration to the lane and the horizon	A clear view of the face	The detection zone set to the vehicle

Three practical points:

Calibration decides accuracy. After mounting, the camera has to be set up for its height and angle. A badly aimed camera gives false alarms, and drivers soon ignore it.
Alerts depend on speed, in both directions. On the D9, ADAS and DMS alerts are active above 30 km/h, so parking manoeuvres do not trigger them. On the ADAS Camera, lane-departure warning starts at a speed you set, and pedestrian detection works below 50 km/h.
The clip matters as much as the beep. The warning helps the driver in the moment; the uploaded clip lets a manager review the event and coach on what actually happened.

Which of our products have what

Product	ADAS	DMS	BSD
D9 dashcam	Yes	Yes	No
WD02 dashcam	Optional	Optional	Optional
D3 dashcam	Yes	No	No
S202 camera	No	Optional	Optional, in place of DMS
WD10 and WD11 recorders	With an ADAS Camera	With a DSM camera	With up to two BSD cameras
WD12 recorder	With a road-facing camera	With a driver-facing camera	Optional

Short definitions of these and related terms are in the glossary.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ADAS and DMS?

ADAS watches the road ahead and warns of collisions, lane departures and pedestrians. DMS watches the driver and warns of fatigue and distraction. They use separate camera views.

Is DMS the same as DSM?

Yes. DMS (driver monitoring system) and DSM (driver status monitoring) are two names for the same function: a cabin camera that detects fatigue and distraction.

Do ADAS alerts work at low speed?

It depends on the alert. On the D9, alerts are active above 30 km/h, so parking and slow manoeuvres do not trigger them. Pedestrian detection on the ADAS Camera works the other way: it is active below 50 km/h.