According to Corey Harper’s research, vehicles equipped with crash avoidance features can lower collision rates by 3.5%. This translates to significant financial savings, with the annual upper-bound crash prevention cost savings estimated at about $264 billion. Given the substantial impact these features have on both safety and costs, it’s clear why they are essential. Let’s check out what makes these features so effective in preventing accidents and saving lives.
Adaptive Headlights
Smart headlights, also known as adaptive headlights, are a nighttime relief. This innovation has made sealed beams a relic from the past. But what’s the hype about? Although existing headlight systems can do a fine job, the smart ones can illuminate the way more efficiently.
Modern sensors and advanced light unit designs can adjust your headlights’ direction, shape, and brightness based on driving conditions. Unlike traditional automatic high-beam systems, these innovations ensure that your headlights adapt to the road ahead, improving visibility and safety without blinding other drivers.
Brake Assist
Driving for long periods on the highway can make you zone out and lose focus. Now, picture the car in front of you suddenly coming to a complete stop. Without any warning, you’re left scrambling to slam on the brakes and avoid a costly rear-end collision.
Brake assists give peace of mind, especially in these situations. When a sudden pressure on a brake pedal is detected, the system considers it an emergency and maximizes the brake force, providing maximum braking power when needed.
Pedestrian Detection
While keeping your eyes on the road is important, a pedestrian detection system provides an extra layer of protection. Using cameras, radar, and lidar, these systems detect humans near your vehicle.
When a pedestrian is spotted, the communication system decides whether the distance can cause a collision. If something seems sticky, the control module instructs the car to stop, preventing you from bumping into someone.
Anti-Lock Braking System
On a wet day, try using a heavy foot on your brake pedal and watch yourself lose control as both fronts lock up. Anti-lock braking systems, as the name suggests, keep your wheels from locking up during abrupt braking. Right before the wheel locks up, it will go through a sudden deceleration, which is what the ABS sensor detects. To keep you in control, ABS disengages and engages the brakes; this pulsating pattern helps you decelerate without creating a scene.
Traction Control System
Another crucial feature for slippery roads is a traction control system (TCS). When driving on a rainy day, losing traction and feeling your rear-end slide can be unsettling. TCS steps in to give you confidence by managing wheelspin. If the system detects that your wheels are slipping, it applies brakes to the spinning wheels and reduces engine power, helping you regain control and stay safe on slick surfaces.
Curve Speed Warning
Curve Speed Warning is a handy feature in modern vehicles that helps prevent accidents on unfamiliar or tricky roads. If driving at high speeds and approaching a sharp turn, this system uses GPS data to alert you if you’re going too fast for the curve ahead. It helps you adjust your speed quickly, reducing the risk of losing control and avoiding potential hazards, like running off the road or hitting a tree.
Parking Sensors
Parking sensors have eliminated the need for the passenger to step out and tell you how close you are to bumping a wall. Usually, manufacturers place these proximity sensors at the back of the bumper. Two types of parking sensors are available: ultrasonic and electromagnetic.
Ultrasonic sensors detect nearby objects using high-frequency sound waves. Similarly, the electromagnetic parking sensor notices an object through an extensive range of wavelengths over the spectrum.
High-Speed Alert
You can dodge potential speeding tickets if your vehicle has a high-speed alert. These alerts work with GPS units and compare their speed limit database with your live speed. If you are going faster in a slow speed zone, this safety feature will trigger an alert to slow down.
Lane-Keeping Assist
Lane-keeping assist is a safety feature that prevents you from drifting off your lane, reducing the chance of side collisions. This assist is handy when a driver is tired or distracted and tries to change lanes at the worst possible moment. If you wonder how this feature pulls off such magic, the lane assist relies on cameras to sense your position.
When the system detects that you are not being careful enough, it beeps or vibrates your steering wheel so you can turn back to your lane. However, if you still appear careless, this assist automatically steers you back into your lane.
Hill Assist
Hill Assist is a fantastic feature that simplifies driving on steep inclines, especially for those who might be new to handling such situations. The system uses sensors to detect the incline when you’re on a slope and preparing to move forward. As you release the brake pedal and accelerate, Hill Assist keeps the brakes engaged, preventing your vehicle from rolling backward. This smoothens the transition, making it easier to drive uphill without the stress of stalling or slipping.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) displays a warning on the dashboard for low tire pressure before it becomes a serious problem. Tires with low-pressure compromise handling and affect gas mileage. As the warning will make you keep your tires properly inflated, they are less likely to turn flat, which means no roadside headaches.
Blind Spot Detection
Thanks to blind spot detection, you no longer have to play a guessing game, as it will notify you of a potential lurking object. With the help of radar or cameras, the system can see the unseen and trigger an alert. Some even apply brakes if you ignore the warning and attempt to steer towards the threat.
Adaptive Cruise Control
Unlike traditional cruise control, which helps you maintain speed on a long straight, adaptive cruise control maintains a set speed and alters it to keep a safe distance from upcoming cars down the highway. If traffic slows down, so will your vehicle until things clear up. From lasers to multiple sensors, the car world offers a variety of adaptive cruise control systems that share the same goal.
Roads are Much Safer Ahead
Owning a vehicle today is safer than ever before. Earlier, cars were prone to accidents. But technology has played a vital role in making our rides the safest. Since it will only improve, what these safety elements still lack today will no longer be a concern in the future.
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Zainab Noor is a motoring journalist. Childhood rides in Nissan Almera fueled her love for cars. After graduating from AIOU in 2021, she steered her passion into freelance writing. You can find Zainab on LinkedIn.
