Safety & Technology

When consumers think of automotive safety they invariably think of the old standbys of seatbelts and airbags. Indeed these safety standards have been responsible for saving countless lives and preventing many injuries.

Technology Leads Safety Advances

While the old adage that avoiding an accident is the best safety measure of all, automakers continue to develop and evolve technology that can react quicker than a human being can in order to prevent accidents.

One of the biggest breakthroughs is Electronic Stability Control, or ESC. It’s a system that can electronically detect when a driver gets in trouble. By monitoring wheel speed, steering wheel angle, yaw rate and pressure from a vehicle’s master cylinder, ESC can brake and reduce engine torque to keep drivers out of trouble. The system is especially helpful in bad weather conditions.

Automakers are using advanced technology in just about every part of the vehicle, using technology that deploys in less time than the blink of an eye to react instantly to keep occupants safe in an electronic cocoon.
Let’s start with the tires. While you should always check your tire pressure, new tire-pressure sensors are being developed that will alert drivers to over and under-inflated tires.
Car Cameras. As cameras get smaller they can be placed in vehicles to allow emergency responders to check on the condition of people involved in an accident. A camera will even monitor driver’s eyes—doze off and an alarm sounds waking you and preventing a tragic accident. Can’t see those hidden spots when parking? Tiny cameras will reveal that pole behind your fender, preventing collisions.
Advanced air bags. Not all collisions are the same, and air bags are now capable of expanding at rates to match the force of the collision; slower in a fender bender, faster in a highway accident.

In the future vehicles will use radar and remote sensing technology that will slam on the brakes and take evasive action if another vehicle is approaching. Safe and courteous driving is always the best tack to take on the roads. Safety engineering innovation will help drivers meet the toughest challenges in the future.

Twenty-nine different nameplates offer ESC in a wide range of vehicles.

"During my 20-year tenure with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, we were able to help drivers adopt life saving mechanisms such as seatbelts and airbags,"

said Adele Derby, former Associate Administrator of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"ESC, with its remarkable capability to help prevent car crashes, is yet another life saving technology that consumers must consider when buying a new vehicle."