Car safety has come a long way over the years, going from simple protection to actively keeping you from an accident. With the growing problem of distracted driving in Australia and globally, these innovations are extremely important to keep drivers, passengers and pedestrians safe.
The Importance of Car Safety Ratings
Australia has the Australasian New Car Assessment Program safety ratings system for new cars. When ANCAP tests a vehicle, it undergoes a range of crash scenarios designed to evaluate the car’s performance, including occupant protection, pedestrian safety, and active safety assist technologies. These ratings inform consumers about the safety features of a car and help them avoid making ignorant choices.
Current Car Safety Features
Here are the present-day car safety features that you should know about –
1. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
Automatic Emergency Braking is one of the most common car safety features and is gradually becoming standard in all cars. AEB systems employ radar and cameras to identify an impending collision with another vehicle, a pedestrian, or some other object.
If the system detects a pending collision, it can alert the driver with visual and audible warnings. If the driver cannot respond on time, the AEB system acts automatically and brakes to try to avoid a collision or at least lessen its impact.
2. Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assist
The LDW and LKA address unintentional lane drifting with a system for warning drivers if they are not paying proper attention. The LDW system is camera-based and looks at the road markings to help the driver avoid leaving their lane without using indicators. These alerts can be visual, auditory or tactile (steering wheel vibrations). The system even goes so far as to help steer the car back into its lane if the driver fails to respond to the warning.
3. Blind Spot Detection
Using sensors on the sides of the rear bumper to monitor blind spots not visible through side mirrors, BSD helps increase driver attention. Through sensors or cameras, they notice vehicles in nearby lanes and typically illuminate icons placed on the side mirrors or A-pillar.
Other systems also provide audible alerts if the driver attempts to change lanes while another vehicle is in the blind spot. The feature is particularly useful for safe lane changes and preventing side-swipe accidents on busy roads and motorways.
4. Obstacle Detection
Obstacle detection systems will identify potential hazards around the vehicle, i.e. pedestrians, cyclists, animals, etc. In Australia, for instance, it can come in handy when you need to avoid a potentially nasty collision with a kangaroo.
These systems work by using a combination of different cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors, which then detect any kind of obstacle and warn the driver about it. Advanced versions can even brake or steer to help you avoid an accident in some driving scenarios, increasing safety.
5. Crumple Zones
Crumple zones are structural elements present in the safest cars in Australia. They are created to absorb and redirect the energy released in a car crash, thus protecting passengers. Deploying before the vehicle impacts, these zones will crush in a controlled manner to lessen the force transmitted into the passenger cabin.
Crumple zones reduce injuries and endow crash survivors with good survival chances by absorbing crash energy in a controlled manner. For some time now, it has been a major part of automotive safety, and advancements in materials combined with better engineering continue to evolve this technology.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
These are among the top car safety features that increase vehicular safety and driver convenience. These include sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence to help the driver in many situations for convenience or additional safety.
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Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
The ACC system radar and cameras keep a preset distance from the vehicle in front, and it will accelerate or decelerate based on that lead car. The design would unburden drivers of the strain of highway travel, including stop-and-go traffic and radically reduce the potential for rear-end collisions.
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Driver Monitoring Systems
These systems detect very early signs of driver fatigue or distraction. Through cameras and sensors, these systems snoop on cues such as the driver’s eye movements, head position, and facial expressions. If the system detects drowsiness or signs of inattention, it will provide the driver with visual or auditory warnings as reminders to take a break and refocus on driving. They are essential if you want to cut down on your general automotive repair service bookings.
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Traffic Sign Recognition
These systems use cameras to detect and interpret road signs like speed limits, stop signs, etc. The system shows this information on the vehicle’s dashboard or head-up display, keeping drivers in the know and out of trouble. Crucially, this system reduces to a minimum the risk of missing important signs in unknown areas, increasing road safety further.
Future Car Safety Features
New essential car safety features are coming to the market. If car-makers push forward with these safety features, it might just change how we drive. Some interesting safety features in new cars are:
1. Transparent Windscreen Pillars
Traditional windscreen pillars generate blind spots that can obscure vision during wide manoeuvers, such as at intersections or lane changes. We could be looking at transparent windscreen pillars for some vehicles in the future, thanks to new designs and technologies.
Strong, unbendable pillars would give the driver a clear view of the road while providing a measure of added security. This is one of the best car safety features. It is still a technology that is currently being developed but could be in the hands of more people soon.
2. External Airbags
The external airbags are one of the most common car safety features, meant as an innovative way to help protect the car along with its occupants from such external impacts. They would deploy on the outside of the car, absorbing a portion of the hit and mitigating damage in a crash. Side impacts and pedestrian protection might be some of the biggest benefits.
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In Conclusion
Car safety has evolved, giving drivers safety mechanisms that prevent accidents from occurring in the first place and helping to save lives. The technology available today, such as Automatic Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warning, and the technology of tomorrow, like transparent windscreen pillars and external airbags, are features that are changing the way we drive.
FAQs
1. What is ANCAP, and why is it important?
Australia has regular crash tests conducted by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), giving valuable safety ratings to new cars. Crash protection and active safety assist technologies are assessed in these ratings.
2. How does Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) work?
AEB can sense if you’re moving toward another vehicle, pedestrian or obstruction using sensors. Visual and sound alerts will warn the driver about an impending collision. The AEB system will apply the brakes if the driver does not react in time to avoid or mitigate the collision. It is one of the best car safety features for seniors.
3. Can Lane Departure Warning systems steer my car back into the lane?
Most Lane Departure Warning systems are bundled with what manufacturers call Lane Keeping Assist, which can help the car steer back into its lane more subtly. This feature is designed to reduce the likelihood of a sleep- or distraction-induced accident, especially on long motorway trips.
