You may not realize it, but your car is getting safer. Over the past few years, automakers have been introducing new safety features to help you avoid accidents, and they’re working. In fact, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), half of all crashes could be avoided if all cars had certain technologies in place. People injured in motor vehicle crashes may need to make car injury claims. While these advancements aren’t available on every vehicle yet (or even most), they are coming soon:
Sensors
Sensors are devices that detect objects, such as people and vehicles. Sensors can be used for many purposes, like detecting speed or direction.
Sensors can detect objects on the road or the sides of the road. They use infrared light to scan an area ahead of them and detect any obstacles that may come into their path. Vehicles with these types of sensors will only work when they’re moving at low speeds, which is why it’s common for them to shut down while you’re parking your car or backing up at slow speeds.
Another type of sensor uses radar technology instead of infrared light (like those used by animals), which has been around longer than its counterpart because it doesn’t require a power source like batteries or electricity to run properly (and therefore won’t shut off randomly).
Radar sensors send out radio waves that bounce off any object they encounter so they can determine speed, distance and location, making them perfect for avoiding collisions during times when visibility isn’t optimal (like foggy conditions).
Lane Departure Warning Systems
A lane departure warning system is a device that alerts you when your vehicle crosses over into another lane without signaling. The system uses sensors to detect when your car has wandered out of its lane and will sound an alarm, which can be set at varying volumes depending on the driver’s preferences.
This technology aims to prevent accidents by alerting drivers if they are not paying close attention while changing lanes. This warning system may also help reduce injuries from collisions between vehicles due to distracted driving.
The first use of this technology was in 2009 when it was used in certain versions of Mercedes-Benz vehicles as an option for USD 2,000 per vehicle equipped with it a steep price tag for most consumers! However, now some models come standard with this safety feature included, so you clearly don’t have to pay extra for it if you want one on your next model car or truck purchase!
Blind Spot Monitoring
Blind Spot Monitoring is a technology that can help you avoid accidents by alerting you when another car is in your blind spot. It does this by using sensors at your vehicle’s rear to see if cars are approaching from behind or alongside. These sensors will then alert you with an audible beep or light on the dashboard if one of these vehicles gets too close to your car.
If you’re using Blind Spot Monitoring, keep an eye out for it when merging onto highways and making lane changes on roads with multiple lanes. This can help prevent accidents caused by drivers not looking at their blind spots before changing lanes or merging onto highways and keeping distance between other cars while driving at night.
Head-Up Displays
Head-Up displays (HUDs) provide important information to the driver without taking their eyes off the road. A HUD projects information onto the windscreen, allowing drivers to see and act on it without looking away from their intended path.
HUDs can be used as navigation systems, displaying turn-by-turn directions or real-time traffic updates. They may also be configured to display speed limits and other information of interest to drivers. The technology has advanced enough that HUDs can warn drivers of hazards and help them avoid them by adjusting steering accordingly.
Autonomous Car Technology
Autonomous car technology is the process of developing self-driving (automated) vehicles. Autonomous cars have been a staple of science fiction for decades, but today they’re a reality and are being tested in cities worldwide.
Autonomous cars use sensors to detect their surroundings and adjust accordingly, allowing them to drive independently without human intervention. An autonomous vehicle is defined as one that can control its speed and direction without any input from the driver.
While many people may think that autonomous cars would be safer than human drivers, and there’s evidence that supports this claim, the truth is that autonomous cars may increase the number of crashes in certain situations.
The reason for this? Humans are unpredictable and often make decisions based on emotions rather than logic or common sense. Autonomous vehicles don’t have those same issues; they follow strict rules even when faced with difficult choices or unexpected circumstances.
But how exactly do these self-driving machines work? How can they be used to reduce car crashes? And what does the future hold for autonomous driving technologies?
Your car is getting safer.
Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In the United States alone, more than 40,000 people die in car crashes yearly, which is increasing annually.
Automakers have worked for years to make vehicles safer for drivers and passengers.
Volvo introduced the first safety features in 1959 with a feature called “the three-point seatbelt.” The invention allowed drivers to buckle their seatbelts without twisting around or fumbling with buckles underneath the seats.
This simple innovation changed driving forever; it was found that wearing seatbelts reduced fatalities by up to 50%.
Since then, automobiles have become increasingly safer thanks to more and better features like airbags (first introduced in 1987), anti-lock braking systems (ABS) that help prevent skidding during panic stops or sudden turns (introduced in 1978), electronic stability control (ESC) which acts as an extra set of eyes monitoring how well your vehicle is handling itself on the road so it can alert you if something isn’t right (introduced in 1993).
Conclusion
We’re a long way from eliminating traffic accidents, but we’ve made great strides in improving the safety of cars and roads. We can only imagine what new technologies will be developed next.