The Newest Safety Features for Vehicles
In the past, we have seen safety features developed to help protect you in a car accident, such as the air bag and seat belt. Now, safety features are being developed to prevent an accident from even happening at all. Karl Brauer of Kelley Blue Book said, “We are seeing a rapid shift from passive safety technology to active safety technology in modern cars.”
Here are some of the new safety features you can expect in your future vehicle:
Backup Cameras. Backup cameras do an outstanding job at showing a driver what is behind their vehicle. This technology has helped prevent ‘backover’ accidents where a driver runs over a child or person behind them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that ‘backover’ accidents result in nearly 300 deaths and close to 18,000 injuries every year. Many lawsuits have been placed to speed up the process to have these backup cameras installed in all vehicles. Right now, they are featured in some SUVs, large minivans, and luxury vehicles.
Lane Departure Warning Systems. Lane departure warning systems are designed to warn a driver if their vehicle begins to move outside of its lane. Unless the turn signal is on, if the vehicle starts to move into another lane, the system will alert the driver helping them to prevent a collision. In some high tech systems the system itself will help correct and maintain the lane. It can also help with blind spots and detections for approaching vehicles. Only a few models are equipped with this system currently, and it seems as if there is room for improvement. See our blog here.
Crash Avoidance Systems. Crash avoidance systems are currently seen in mostly luxury models. They function to warn a driver when a front-end crash is likely and in some systems they apply the brakes automatically. This system not only prevents car accidents from happening but also prevents car-pedestrian accidents. These systems come with a very high price tag, but in a few years, they will most likely spread to less expensive vehicles and models.
Source: CBS, “Car safety features that avoid accidents,” Jerry Edgerton, October 2, 2013.