In the world of technology, there are some interesting trends. Specifically, in the automotive industry, vehicles are getting smarter and more advanced. The last couple of years have seen a lot of positive innovations come through that have changed the way we drive forever.
Lane Departure Warning
Lane-departure warning systems use cameras to detect if your car is unintentionally drifting out of its lane on a multilane highway. If it detects this, it will warn you by either vibrating the steering wheel or playing an audible noise so that you can correct the situation. Some cars may even keep track of how many times you’ve drifted over lines in a certain amount of time and display a notification when you exit the vehicle. Most lane-departure warning systems are only active above 30 mph, as this is when they’re most effective and when drifting over lines can be deadly.
Adaptive Cruise Control
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is a step up from traditional cruise control. Conventional cruise control lets you set a steady speed between 25 mph and about 80 mph, but if traffic slows down ahead of you, you have to hit the brakes or manually disengage the system until it’s safe to accelerate again. ACC monitors traffic ahead of your vehicle and automatically adjusts your speed as needed. If the car in front of you slows down, your vehicle will slow down too up to a preset limit. Once the car in front speeds up again, yours will do the same.
Forward Collision Warning
Forward collision warning systems are designed to help prevent car accidents by giving you an early warning when your car is getting too close to something. Most of these systems use either a radar or a camera to figure out whether you’re approaching something too quickly. In the case of radar-based systems, this involves measuring how long it takes for radio waves to bounce off objects in your path. If it takes longer for the waves to return, then your car is closer, and you’re probably moving too fast. Camera-based FCW keeps track of movement from frame to frame. If something appears to be slowing down in successive frames, then it’s probably because you’re getting too close and need to slow down. If your forward collision does not work, you might end up having an accident, and you will need a Colorado Car Accident Attorney.
Automatic Emergency Braking
Laser sensors, radar, or cameras detect if there’s something in front of your car, such as another car or object, and alert you to the potential collision. If you don’t respond in time, the system slowly applies the brakes. If you don’t apply enough pressure on the brake pedal, it will apply more pressure on you. Some systems also work when going in reverse.
Rear Cross-traffic Alert
A rear cross-traffic alert is a safety feature that can help detect the presence of vehicles approaching from either side when backing out of a parking spot. It works in conjunction with blind-spot monitoring and uses radar sensors to sense movement behind your vehicle. If a vehicle appears behind you, the dash will light up an indicator light, and you’ll hear an audible warning. The feature is available on many new cars and provides extra visibility for drivers as they back out of parking spaces.
There are so many different safety features available on cars today that it’s difficult to pick just one. Technology has made us safer on the road, and we have generations of statistics to prove it. However, some safety features will be more useful than others in your situation; only use what you need to feel safe while driving. That said, rear cross-traffic alerts can be a useful tool if you’re worried about being hit from behind at an intersection where your visibility is obstructed.