Living in a society that is nearly completely car-dependent means that safety features within these vehicles need to be an absolute priority. Although the first automobile, by law, didn’t even need a seatbelt, safety is now a priority for consumers.
Technology has created a world of new capabilities for cars. Whether they are manual, automatic, electric or self-driving, car manufacturers are working to ensure the fleet of tomorrow is one that protects its drivers and passengers.
So, what kind of technology will help car manufactures achieve this goal?
While you will have heard of ABS brakes, ADAS takes safety to a whole new level. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems hosts various automatic safety features and the best thing about this software is that, even though it’s still being developed and perfected, it will still improve the safety of those who are in and around the car.
The ADAS system includes AEB which assists the driver by sensing when a possible collision or just another parked car is near, it will then activate the emergency brakes and bring the car to a complete stop.
The technology behind this feature was originally pioneered by Volvo several years ago. In its early stages it was referred to as City Safety and was ideally suited for traffic and low speed journeys. Since then, the technology has evolved and studies have shown that by having this feature, could reduce fatal crashes by 20-25 per cent. It also reduces collisions which would have resulted in an injury by 25-35 per cent. Imagine the possibilities when the technology has been fully developed.
Another highlight feature of ADAS is ELKA, something of which is now prominent in driverless cars, but can also be used with your average driver. This technology helps to tackle driver fatigue. Around 20 per cent of road accidents have the contributory factor of tiredness involved, it can also cause up to 25 per cent of fatal or serious accidents.
ALKA battles this issue by using sensor technology to identify when the car is within the lane on the road. In addition to this, it can also sense how far away other cars and objects are both in and out of the lane. As a result, the technology helps to keep the car within the lanes, lessening the chance of veering off the road or into another motorist. It’s another feature that is still in development but even within its early stages, it’s helping to reduce accidents.
It’s clear that the safety of drivers is of utmost importance to car manufacturers, and not just the luxury car brands. The new era of safety technology could see a huge reduction on the 160,597 causalities that were reported this last year.
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