Automobiles are some of the most useful tools that we utilize on a regular basis. In fact their usefulness is so universal that it is easy to take them for granted. One of the biggest ambitions of anyone young or old is to have an automobile and this will continue perhaps even when automobiles are driving themselves.
In terms of self-driving cars, the days of this being the norm are soon upon us and this new car tech is here in full force. This is a critical change because over 90% of car accidents happen because of the human driving. Car manufacturers are rushing to remove humans from the driving equation. But until this becomes a reality, there is other tech that can minimize the need for human input while behind the wheel.
The technology is amazing and as you will read in this article, it is beginning to have a small but growing impact on lowering the amount and severity of accidents in the US. But it is still new tech and the majority of cars on the road do not have these technologies. So in the meantime, we can expect continued large numbers of car accidents leading to car accident injuries and the continuing need for personal injury attorneys like the Hansen Injury Law Firm, who specialize in automobile accident cases that occur in Idaho.
Without a doubt, technology is cars is thriving. Here is some of the latest tech that car manufacturers are implementing to make the road safer for those in cars and those pedestrians who are walking near automobiles.
Collision Avoidance
How about an electronic system that automatically and with no driver input avoid a collision or that acts to reduce the severity of an impending collision? This is how collision avoidance systems operate. Utilizing GPS, radar, laser, and cameras mounted around the vehicle the automobile can detect stationary and moving objects and monitor situations going on around the vehicle thousands of times per second to assess the path that the vehicle is traveling will lead to an accident with another automobile, a stationary object and even a pedestrian or animal in the road.
If the tech determines that a crash is possible, it will alert the driver with a warning tone and tells the driver what actions to take or the more advanced systems can take actions on their own to avoid the impending accident. This includes slowing down or speeding up the automobile turning the wheels or applying the brakes for a full stop. Collision avoidance systems work many times faster than a human can and they also detect every potential accident where a human can only avoid what he can see from his driving position. Many can manufacturers have begun implementing these systems and some like Volvo has seen big drops in insurance claims as a result.
Driver Assistance
Driver error is a big issue partially because there so many important things to focus on when driving. A driver must survey the other traffic, the road and road conditions traffic signs and lights, and keep an eye out for pedestrians and animals and do this in every direction. A moment where there is a lack of focus on any of these areas and there could be a tragic accident. This is why there is such a need for driver assistance technology in automobiles. These technologies alert the driver to potential accidents, and in some instances can take over the vehicle. And they do much more: they can ensure that the driver does not fall asleep behind the wheel which is a major cause of car accidents. They can keep a driver in his lane, see into a driver’s blind spot, and because they are tied into GPS and have maps of the road the driver is traveling on, they can alert the driver to upcoming traffic signals and any adverse road conditions long before the driver can observe them on his own, giving the driving time to adjust. Insurers are currently offering discounts to drivers whose cars have this type of tech.
These technologies form the foundation for the coming drivels cars. In the meantime drivers can enjoy safer cars and less accidents on the road.
