Nowadays, we often hear about how technology is increasing the risk of road accidents because, instead of paying attention to the road, many drivers attempt to multitask and use their smartphones to make a call, text, or glance through their social media feed.
Having said that, we need to note how technology has made driving safer. Nearly half a century has passed since seat belts in American cars became mandatory and drastically reduced the annual death toll on the country's roads. Car manufacturers are always researching and developing new safety devices, such as automatic braking systems and blind-spot sensors. They're looking at statistics and identifying the factors that contribute to car accidents.
We may still be a long way from accident-free driving, but we're definitely heading in the right direction, as both consumers and manufacturers are pushing forward in their efforts to advance road safety technology.
Automatic Braking Systems
This feature is also referred to as automatic emergency braking or AEB. This type of technology uses sensors to detect a potential crash situation with another vehicle and can either alert the driver or take corrective action in case the driver is too slow to react.
Research done by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) indicates that such innovations reduce the number of rear-end collisions that frequently happen on our roads and can save lives. 33.4% of police-reported crashes from 2015 were caused by rear-end crashes with another vehicle.
AEB systems mitigate this risk by engaging crash imminent braking (CIB) or dynamic brake support (DBS) and the studies done on their performance shows that the options currently available on the market are effective in increasing driver safety.
Backup Cameras
Rearview video systems (RVS), commonly referred to as backup cameras, are important safety tools that help avoid back-over collisions and protect vulnerable people such as kids and senior citizens. This system uses a rear-mounted camera that displays the image on the dashboard monitor so the driver can get an up-close view of the area behind the car, including blind spots.
Reports from the NHTSA show that backup cameras reduce the risk of collision by as much as 46%. However, they note that this is not a replacement for safety measures like checking your mirrors and turning over your shoulder to look as you're backing out of parking spots or driveways. They should be regarded as additional tools that help prevent accidents.
Blind Spot Monitoring
Blind spot detection systems or BDS systems use sensors and digital camera technology to monitor traffic on both sides of your vehicle and let you know through an audio or visual warning of any vehicles approaching from adjacent lanes on both sides. These alerts make it easier and safer to switch lanes, especially by reducing the risk of collision with vehicles you cannot see, hence the name.
This type of technology used to be present only in large tractor-trailer combinations, but they are not quite wide-spread in passenger cars as well.
Forward Collision
A forward collision warning system (FCW) is an advanced technological tool that can track the speed of your car, the speed of the car in front of you, and the distance between them. If the gap between the two vehicles becomes too short because of speed differences, the FCW will alert the driver through an audio or visual signal so they can prevent a potential crash. It's important to note that this type of system will not take full control of your vehicle; you will be the one that needs to operate it.
FCW systems can be found on many new cars, SUVs, and trucks manufactured after 2011, and you can visit the NHTSA's website to check their safety ratings.
Emergency Communications
Emergency communications systems enable drivers to reach operators, get roadside assistance, and gain easy access to several other types of emergency services.
An automatic crash notification system (ACN) is an advanced safety feature that can alert emergency responders of a crash and provide location details. It uses sensors to detect a sudden and dramatic deceleration or airbag activation and will automatically connect to an operator who can then communicate with the passengers after a crash. The system can also collect basic information about the vehicle and forward it to emergency operators without passenger input. This is especially useful when the driver is unconscious, as reducing the time it takes emergency medical services to reach the crash scene also reduces the risk of death or disability.
In rural areas, for example, there are typically fewer witnesses that can call emergency responders, and the sooner the victims receive emergency medical care and are transported to a hospital, the better the outcome.
Traffic Sign Recognition
Traffic sign recognition systems are innovative safety features available in high-end vehicles, particularly European brands. We've all experienced moments when we didn't notice a sign indicating a change in speed limit. Fortunately, these devices are always vigilant and can alert us through notifications on the dashboard monitor. They use forward-facing cameras and image processing technology to detect and analyze traffic signs based on color, shape, and symbols.
This is where the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals becomes particularly useful. This treaty was signed in 1968 and standardized traffic signs from 52 different countries, 31 of which from Europe. Traffic sign recognition systems can now identify a wide range of symbols using neural networks and deep learning technology.
Drowsiness Detection System
Various studies indicate that approximately 20% of road accidents result from driver fatigue. Drowsiness detection systems use an algorithm to record steering behavior from the beginning of the trip. It can then recognize signs such as phases when the driver is barely steering, followed by abrupt movements to keep the car on track. It will monitor how often you tend to drift from your lane, can use body sensors to measure skin conductance, heart rate, muscle and brain activity, as well as the driver's face.
All these parameters are used to calculate the driver's level of fatigue and, in future, this type of technology can be used to detect driving under the influence and reduce the number of road accidents even further.
