The technology which ensures safety in vehicles has evolved perpetually over the decades, giving drivers a better chance of surviving serious crashes and also helping to protect other road users and pedestrians in the process.
There are various mechanisms and innovations that are present in modern cars to enhance safety, so here is a look at some of the latest developments to hit the market.
Automatic braking
Managing a car’s speed and bringing it to a stop in an emergency, or as dictated by the conditions of the road ahead, can mean the difference between disaster and an uneventful trip. But humans are fallible, with reaction times dictating how quickly we can respond to changing circumstances and act accordingly.
With automatic braking systems available on contemporary cars, some of this responsibility is taken out of human hands and handed to significantly swifter electronic components. Manufacturers are begging to integrate camera systems and even radars which can scan the road around the car and detect obstacles in a fraction of a second so that direct impacts can be averted, according to Technology Review.
And while the concept of driverless cars may still be some way from becoming a reality, the groundwork is being laid in the automatic braking systems that we see today. In fact Euro NCAP’s crash tests will begin to take the presence of this technology into consideration in 2014, so manufacturers will have even more of an incentive to fit it across their ranges.
GPS and smartphone apps
Safety on the road is not just about slip second decisions, but also the other factors that are in play during a journey from A to B. Being safe means having enough fuel to complete the trip, being able to call for help in the event of mechanical issues and getting information about any problems with traffic and other calamities on the highways.
Standalone GPS devices, either built into car dashboards or purchased and mounted separately by the car owner, have developed from simple route-finding devices to multifunctional hubs for data on everything from current congestion levels to the location of speed cameras, petrol stations and even local amenities.
With a GPS device onboard, a driver can head out with confidence, always knowing their exact location should they need to alert emergency services or contact a breakdown repair provider.
But to a degree a standalone GPS satnav has been rendered obsolete by smartphones, which not only have GPS onboard but also offer a range of other automotive benefits via downloadable apps. Because smartphones can connect to high speed internet connections from almost anywhere in the country, drivers are never lost, alone or unsafe with one to hand.
It is difficult to put a price on safety when driving, but with modern technology it is more affordable and attainable than you might think.
Guest article written by: Neal Bricker is a freelance journalist and blogger who covers the technology and automotive industries for various outlets. And since forgetting to renew his driving licence, he is also a regular user of the [tp lang=”en” only=”y”]DVLA customer enquiries[/tp][tp not_in=”en”]DVLA customer enquiries[/tp] hotline.