Sell ADAS on used cars as an explanation, not a safety promise
The choice: sell what is demonstrably fitted to this car
Create a short ADAS card for each used car before it goes online or the customer arrives. Record which systems are present, what name you use in the advertisement, and what you explain during the test drive or handover. This is more relevant than a general safety statement alongside a model name: according to BOVAG, the same systems can have different, often marketing-driven names, and users often do not know what functionality they can expect. For used-car buyers, even finding out which systems are present is difficult. Therefore, use the vehicle specification and your own inspection as the starting point, not a general model description.
Explain how it works, including its limits
Translate every confirmed system into one plain sentence. For example, an emergency braking system can brake automatically in acute danger; a lane-departure warning alerts a motorist when they unintentionally cross lane markings. The sources describe driver-assistance systems as support that can improve road safety, provided the driver uses the functions safely and responsibly. So do not say that the car prevents a collision or drives safely on its own. During the test drive, discuss what the customer may see, hear or feel, and that the driver remains in control of the car.
Make the explanation verifiable in the sales process
Use this decision register for every vehicle in stock: system or function, confirmed presence, source or vehicle inspection, explanation to the customer, owner of the check, and open item. This makes clear which information is ready for the advertisement and which still needs to be investigated. Collaboration within the ADAS Alliance aims to increase the safe use of driver-assistance systems; that context supports a careful explanation, but does not prove that an individual used car or sales conversation is safer. This approach is not legal advice and does not replace diagnostics, a maintenance check or vehicle-specific documentation.
