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Some Popular Technologies For Improved Driver Safety

Automakers continue to push the envelope by designing their vehicles to be safer for drivers and passengers. In the past, seat belts and airbags were the primary means by which motorists were protected from injury. Today, a number of new – and maturing – technologies offer far greater levels of safety. In this article, we’ll explore 4 popular safety systems that new cars, trucks, and SUVs are being outfitted with on the factory floor.

#1 – Collision Avoidance Systems

Putting your car on cruise control eliminates the chore of manually maintaining your speed during long stretches. The problem is that older systems didn’t compensate for slower vehicles in your lane. You were forced to manually engage your brakes in order to avoid making contact. Today’s cruise control systems are designed to help drivers avoid collisions. Internal sensors and radar identify other motorists in your lane and make automatic adjustments to the throttle.

#2 – Tire Pressure Sensors

Years ago, the NHTSA mandated that all vehicles weighing less than five tons must be built with sensors that monitor tire pressure. If the pressure in any of your vehicle’s tires declines past a predefined level, a warning indicator will display on your dash. Most motorists tend to ignore their tires. This technology spurs their action.

#3 – Rear-View Cameras

Every car has blind spots which increase with a vehicle’s size. For example, the driver’s blind spot in a Ford Excursion will be significantly larger than that in a Toyota Corolla. Back-up accidents have caused hundreds of deaths, leading automakers to outfit their larger models with rear-view cameras. The cameras monitor objects that lie within your blind spot and trigger an audible warning if contact is imminent.

#4 – Brake System Assistance

Anti-lock brake systems are designed to help drivers stop their cars quickly without accidentally locking their brakes, and losing traction and control. A growing number of vehicles are being equipped with advanced brake technology which provides an extra level of assistance. It monitors the braking actions of the motorist. If an emergency is detected (for example, slamming the brake pedal to the floor), the technology applies extra pressure to reduce the distance required to stop.

Advanced Technology For A Safer Driving Experience

During the next few years, we’ll likely see a slew of new technologies that aim to improve driver safety. Automakers are moving aggressively to deliver a more comfortable driving experience with added protection. Lane departure warnings, electronic stability control, and improved airbag design are merely the beginning. Many of the most popular automotive safety systems once seemed peculiar, but are now commonplace. So, too, will tomorrow’s ideas seem odd, yet eventually provide a safer driving experience.

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Airbag Design And Deployment

In today’s vehicles, the word “safety” brings to mind images of seat belts, broken glass, and mangled metal. However, this picture would be incomplete were it not for the innovative actions of Ford and General Motors with the introduction of the airbag in the early 1970s. They were originally designed to serve as an alternative to seat belts and quickly became standard in most cars around the late-1980s and early-1990s.

Below, we’ll explore how airbags protect you and your passengers from injuries in the event of a traffic collision. We’ll also explain how new automotive technology has led to better design and more reliable protection.

How They Protect Drivers And Passengers

Your vehicle’s airbags are triggered when your car detects an abrupt change in speed. The sensors are programmed to prevent the bags from being triggered whenever you merely stop abruptly. Instead, they deploy if your car collides with another vehicle. The mechanics of these sensors send a signal to the accelerometer, which then interacts with the inflator to deploy the device.

When the bags are deployed, a chemical reaction takes place between sodium azide (NaN3) and potassium nitrate (KNO3). This reaction generates a large amount of nitrogen gas in a very short amount of time in order to inflate the structure fast enough so as to prevent head trauma. Once the bags have been inflated, they deflate via tiny holes, allowing you and your passengers to exit your vehicle.

Recent Innovations In Technology

Recently, other airbag designs have been introduced in order to address accidents that do not involve head-on collisions. It is estimated that 30% of all collisions are side-impact events. Further, 40% of all serious injuries are caused by side impacts. To counteract this trend, side-impact bags have been designed which can act as a barrier between a passenger and the door.

Before side bags were introduced, car manufacturers were forced to modify the doors and roof sections in order to improve passenger safety. Side-impact devices were developed to reinforce these efforts. They’re designed to deploy six to eight times faster than a traditional bag due to the thickness of a car door and the time it takes the impact to reach the driver or passenger.

Along with side-mounted devices, some automakers install curtain airbags. These are devices installed at the top of the door frame which deploy downwards and protect the head. In addition to curtain devices, head protection units have been designed to inflate in a tubular, sausage-like structure that remains inflated for several seconds in order to protect against multiple collisions. These units are often incorporated along with side-impact bags.

The technology used many years ago to design the first airbags has become antiquated. Today, automakers are aggressively pursuing innovative designs that offer more protection for the head, neck, and body.

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• Some Popular Technologies For Improved Driver Safety (0)
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