Look back a decade ago. Did you find any change in the technology used in today’s cars and the cars back then? Well, the answer is undoubtedly YES! It will be better to call the cars of today as smart cars or intelligent assistant. The cars’ owners can now experience a lot many technically advanced features that not only make their ride more comfortable but safer and easier too as compared to the older models. Amongst the many packages a car comes loaded with, Driver Assistance System is the highly preferred one because of safety assistance it provides on road.
Driver Assistance System is based on intelligent sensor technology that continuously keeps a check on the vehicle’s surroundings and driving pattern on the basis of which it detects the possible dangerous situations before they actually occur. In certain cases, the driver assistance system actively warns the driver of the coming danger and supports him/her and, if required, the system automatically intervenes to avoid or lessen the impact of a crash or accident. Let’s check out the various capabilities these systems can perform:
Features such as lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, parking assist et al, have now become the part of many cars, including the low-budget vehicles. Where on high-end vehicles camera synced with sensors is used to monitor such activities, in budgeted cars only sensors play this role. Right from premium cars such as Audi A3, BMW X5 to mainstream cars such as Maruti Baleno, Ford Figo, you can find these features as an integral part of these vehicles.
Next comes in line are the systems that intrude in between the driver and the vehicle and use the controls of the car when a certain object(s) is detected around the vehicle that can cause damage. Here, radar and camera systems come into play that senses the input given to the brakes or steering and accordingly act to avoid collision. As of now, these features are a part of luxury cars only but down the line after few years these assistance systems will be available for other cars too.
Another important feature that needs special mention here is Automatic emergency braking feature that comes into play when a car is moving at a speed of 25mph or below. The sensors on the car activate the forward collision warning and attempt to halt the car to avoid any mishap. To make this system more effective, it is generally synced with radar-guided cruise control to bring the vehicle to a complete halt and then to work according to the traffic updates available.
Also Read: Is your Car the Top Safety Pick by IIHS?
This system is currently in its budding stage and has to see lots of improvement in the coming years. The night vision system is effective for driving through the roads that have less amount of light or are completely surrounded by darkness. The camera mounted at the front of the car uses infrared technology to clear the visibility of the objects on the road. It also raises alert in case there is a human figure in your way and there are chances of your vehicle coming into contact with them.
Many luxurious brands such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz come with animal detection system alongside the pedestrian detection system that safeguard you from any collision with deer or any other animal coming into your way.
The two main crash testing and highway safety organizations, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), have provided guides to enlighten the customers about the highly effective and most advanced safety technologies available for the vehicles.
So whenever you are on your hunt for a new vehicle, do make sure to check if these safety features are available with the car of your choice, be it an SUV or a convertible or sedan.
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