The cars that we drive today have features that people would not have imagined in the past. Surprisingly, some drivers are not aware of every safety feature installed in their cars. The good thing is that these features play a role in preventing accidents as well as keeping the vehicle occupants safe from harm. The aim of the manufacturers of all vehicles is to enhance safety beyond the level that traditional safety features provide.
This means that safety essentials like mirrors or brakes will be enhanced to become even better. All in all, let us look at the best safety features in the history of vehicles.
Side-View and Rear-View Mirrors
It is commonly taught in driving schools that the driver’s third eye is the mirror. Any car will have at least three mirrors, which are the two side mirrors and the rear-view mirror. While most drivers will see these as just ordinary mirrors, they are the most frequently used safety feature in a vehicle. Just as you look at the road ahead through the windscreen, you will also keep looking at what is happening behind and to the side of the car. Additionally, the same mirrors are used to avoid collisions when reversing the vehicle. Even before the introduction of any other safety feature, these mirrors were already in use.
Tire Pressure Monitors
The tires play a significant role when driving because they are the main contact areas with the road. They are made of rubber to allow a good grip and avoid skidding. There are different types of tires depending on if you will be driving the vehicle off-road, in snow, or in any other challenging environment. All the tires must be at the right pressure to avoid an accident. With a tire pressure monitoring system, you can receive alerts as soon as you need to add air to the tires.
Airbags
Since the introduction of airbags, the rate of deaths in car accidents has significantly declined. Today’s vehicles have numerous airbags to offer total protection during a collision. Airbags are controlled by a module with sensors to deploy immediately if there is a collision. The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags are common in almost all vehicles today and they are some of the best for safety.
Related: 10 New Technologies to Help You Avoid Car Accidents
Seat Belts
They are worn every time a person is driving as a precaution in the event of an accident. It is highly recommended that a person should wear a safety belt at all times when the vehicle is in motion. These safety features will automatically lock if there is an accident. Kids too must be secured well by first placing the child car seat and fastening the belt around it securely.
ABS
The anti-lock braking system is now standard in all vehicles manufactured today. You will always see the ABS light on the dashboard. The technology works through a sensor that assists in determining when the wheels should brake. Depending on the situation, the system rapidly pumps the brakes to prevent locking and skidding. ABS brings the car to a stop faster, more smoothly, and safely.
Headlights
The main car safety aid for any driver at night are the headlights. For now, we will discuss adaptive headlights, which are even better than the conventional ones. With adaptive headlights, the beams adjust to follow the road so if you’re driving around a bend in the road, adaptive headlights will adjust to illuminate the road whereas conventional headlights will point straight ahead. Adaptive headlights also help to deal with the problem of headlights shining on oncoming traffic because they are self-leveling and will direct the beams to the road instead of oncoming motorists.
360 Cameras
This technology has taken vehicle safety to a whole new level. You can know the position of the vehicle alongside other objects just by looking at the screen on the dashboard. In fact, the cameras are synchronized together with sensors to assist drivers when parking and driving on roads with well-defined lanes. Although the 360 camera is not yet fully integrated into standard budget cars, most of the new high-end cars are equipped with it.
Related: All You Need to Know About Car Accidents
Cruise Control
Adaptive cruise control, as it is commonly known, is now one of the best safety features on the highway. People can drive without the fear of hitting other cars on the highway or departing from their lanes because the technology will guide them back. Its main function, however, is to reduce the speed of vehicles to adapt to the speed of other cars driving around them.
Anti-Collision Technology
A large number of accidents are caused by collisions between vehicles or with stationary objects. However, the introduction of anti-collision technology has changed everything. It uses sensors that detect when a collision is imminent. The system then brakes the vehicle before it impacts with another object. This takes place without any driver input. The technology is expensive to install and manufacturers are only using it on high-end cars for now. It is anticipated that all vehicles will adopt anti-collision technology in the future.
Bluetooth
It may seem like an ordinary piece of technology or capability in a car, but Bluetooth is an excellent vehicle safety device. Imagine the type of distraction drivers experience when trying to reach for their cell phones because making or receiving calls. With Bluetooth, all you need is to synchronize the phone and you will make calls right through the head unit. Some vehicles have the call and drop buttons on the steering wheel of the vehicle, which is even better.
Related: How to Safely Drive Through a Tire Blowout
Conclusion
Throughout the history of vehicles, the safety of the occupants has been an issue. Surprisingly, we have seen a lot of innovation in recent years and the future sees improved technologies that will make vehicles even safer. It is a real possibility that we look to having zero deaths caused by vehicles in the future.
