Reviews Tips Opinions

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

When it comes to vehicle safety, automakers are a little puzzled. How can it be that vehicle-related fatalities in the U.S. have been steady at 40,000 deaths a year even as vehicle safety measures continue to improve? Is all this vehicle safety technology really making us safer? One company has announced that the problem is not with the safety of the cars - it’s with the drivers themselves.

Robert Bosch LLC has come out with new research that found two out of three drivers don’t hit the brakes with enough force just before an accident. This isn’t because the driver wants the accident - it’s because the overload of information and stimuli, from multiple warning systems, distracting passengers, and the mental load of processing events on the road, all compete for mental resources, and slow down the decision-making process by a few vital milliseconds. The result is the driver hitting the brakes just a moment too late, or not quite hard enough.

Bosch’s solution is to implement a predictive brake-assist technology which prevents accidents by detecting, then reacting to possible accidents by activating the brakes. The technology monitors the traffic around the vehicle continuously, and determines stopping distance. The ongoing function of this technology in the vehicle’s computer prepares the hydraulic brake for full-force braking when an accident is imminent.

Although there’s not enough research yet to know for sure, it’s reasonable to think the predictive brake-assist technology will be useful in preventing some of the over 2 million front-end collisions that occur every year. However, some argue that this technology might actually decrease safety, because drivers might not fully understand how the system works and erroneously believe it will do most of the braking for them. They then might not try to stop the car themselves, increasing their risk of accident. This argument seems inane, but shouldn’t be completely dismissed. More research and testing are needed before this system can be made mandatory.

Manufacturers are already beginning to develop predictive braking technology into their new vehicles. Some, such as Cadillac, Volvo, Toyota and BMW, are currently experimenting with the technology. Others have implemented the system into their new models. Mercedes-Benz’s SL550 can detect an emergency by sensing the amount of pressure the driver applies to the brake pedal, and reacts by implementing the maximum power boost.

Predictive brake-assist technology is just one of many new technologies aimed at improving automotive safety. A lane departure notification is another new development which will protect drivers. It uses an electric eye to monitor the vehicle’s position in relation to the lines on the road. If the vehicle starts driving outside the lines, the system will release an audible warning, which could greatly benefit drivers who may be falling asleep during long drives.

In accordance with the theory that drivers may in fact pose a safety hazard to themselves, Bosch has proposed a modification to the current vehicle safety ratings. The proposed new safety ratings would include a sixth star, evaluating a vehicle’s accident avoidance systems, such as the predictive braking and lane departure notification systems. This will help consumers to compare just how safe a vehicle really is, taking into consideration how it will help them avoid accidents, not just how the car will hold up in one.