February 16, 2023

How Modern Tech is Making Cars Safer Than Ever

Automobile safety is a top priority for automakers, governments, and motorists. With so many cars on the road, society can’t afford to treat vehicle safety as a secondary concern.

As a result, every new development in technology presents an opportunity to improve automotive safety. Once shown to increase safety, these technologies become standard. Automakers are required by law to include standard safety features in every new vehicle they produce, including base models.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at several ways in which modern tech is making vehicles safer than ever:

Data acquisition

Detecting mechanical problems before they turn into catastrophic failures is an effective means of ensuring safety with any hazardous system. It’s often done with the help of sensors designed to monitor activity and acquire data. Such technology is becoming increasingly common in the automotive world thanks to the improved sophistication of gauges and sensors. For instance, an oil pressure gauge can now feed data directly into an onboard computer designed to monitor for any anomalies or abrupt changes. The same can be said for temperature gauges, tire pressure sensors, and other ways to stay on top of parts performance data.

Forward collision warning

A forward collision warning system is exactly what it sounds like; a way to warn motorists of an impending impact with the aid of an audible alarm. It gives motorists enough time to assess the situation and apply their brakes if necessary. Given the high frequency of automobile accidents involving rear-end collisions, this technology is proving to be a game-changer in terms of reducing the number of accidents happening on the road every day.

Lane departure warning

It’s a bit unnerving to think about how close we get to other vehicles when driving on a multi-lane road. One wrong move by one motorist can quickly turn into a multi-vehicle accident due to swerving into another lane. With this in mind, it’s easy to see how a lane departure warning system helps make motor vehicles safer than ever. A simple alarm that’s activated whenever your vehicle starts to drift into a different lane is often all it takes for a momentarily distracted driver to focus their attention on their driving.

Blind-spot monitoring

The ability to check your blind spots is a fundamental aspect of most driving exams. That’s because accidents involving blind-spot collisions are incredibly common. But thanks to blind-spot monitoring, motorists are alerted whenever there’s an object in the blind spots around their vehicles. This gives them plenty of warning in order to prevent a collision.

Virtual assistant technology

Newer vehicles are coming equipped with virtual assistant technology such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. These technologies give motorists the ability to operate auxiliary features, such as music streaming or climate control, without taking their hands off the steering wheel. What’s more, this technology makes it easier for motorists to notify emergency response services in the event of an accident where they may otherwise be unable to do so.

Automatic emergency braking

When all else fails, automatic emergency braking provides the means of preventing a major collision. As the name suggests, automatic emergency braking is a system designed to engage the brakes as soon as it detects an impending collision with an object. Automatic emergency braking helps motorists avoid hitting pedestrians, animals, cyclists, and other vehicles on the road. While the ability to avoid striking an object ultimately depends on speed as well as other factors, automatic emergency braking is likely to react faster than the human behind the wheel.

It’s safe to say that motor vehicles are getting safer all the time. Central to this improved level of safety are various technologies being harnessed by automakers and used by motorists. Such technology initially enters the industry as an optional upgrade but eventually becomes a standard feature. It’s a testament to the importance of ensuring the roads remain as safe as possible.

 

Alex Farina is a freelance writer from Ohio. He enjoys writing about design, fashion, nature, and technology.

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