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Read MoreAutomotive safety systems have evolved significantly considering that the seatbelt was not mandatory in new North American vehicles until 1968, 13 years after the seatbelt was first made available as an option. Likewise, airbags began appearing as optional equipment in an increasing number of passenger vehicles from 1975 onward, until they were finally required by law in 1998. Seatbelts and airbags are reactive technologies designed to reduce the severity of injuries during a collision and while they are effective, it is still preferable to avoid collisions altogether. Active and partially active safety systems are being offered on a wider range of vehicles, and this article gives an overview of some of the most effective new features: electronic stability control, blind spot detection, forward collision avoidance, and pedestrian detection systems.
One partially active technology that has significantly increased the avoidability of collisions is electronic stability control (ESC)—a system that helps a driver to maintain control of the vehicle during a sudden braking or swerving maneuver. The system has been found to reduce fatal single-vehicle crash risk by 49% and fatal multi-vehicle crash risk by about 20%. In fact, ESC has proven to be so effective at reducing the occurrence of severe and fatal collisions that Transport Canada has made it mandatory in all passenger vehicles manufactured on or after September 1st, 2011.
Current available safety technologies (including ESC) still require that the driver recognize that a collision is imminent and respond in an appropriate manner to avoid. However, drivers may be distracted or may not be sufficiently cued to an approaching hazard and therefore may not be able to respond in a timely manner. Consequently, automotive manufacturers have begun to implement new technologies and myriad sensors to monitor both external and internal parameters of a vehicle and respond to hazards faster than a human being ever could. Most new vehicles now offer powerful driver assistance features such as blind spot detection, forward collision avoidance, and pedestrian detection.
A blind spot detection system uses short wave radar to identify whether an object (such as another vehicle) is positioned in a driver’s blind spot. Drivers are typically informed of a vehicle in their blind spot by an indicator lamp embedded in the vehicle’s side mirrors. If a driver attempts a lane change into an occupied lane, some systems may even intervene and gently apply the brakes on the opposite side of the vehicle (i.e. opposite to the direction of the lane change) to bring the vehicle back into its original lane (this is known as yaw braking).
A forward collision avoidance system is similar to blind spot detection; however, it makes use of long range radar to look out in front of the vehicle. If the system detects that the vehicle is closing in on another without adequate response from the driver, the system will typically alert the driver through an audio/visual or even tactile stimulus (such as vibrating the steering wheel). Newer systems can even bring the vehicle to a full stop without the need for driver intervention.
Pedestrian detection systems make use of forward-facing cameras and specialized algorithms to identify pedestrians in danger of contacting the vehicle. These cameras sense infrared signals and therefore operate exceptionally well even at night when the chances of not seeing a pedestrian are considerably higher.
Active safety systems have become increasingly effective in recent years, and as the technology continues to develop, advanced collision avoidance technologies continue to be offered on a wider range of vehicles. The effectiveness of these technologies makes them a valuable offering on any new vehicle, especially as a single avoided collision would likely pay off the added cost of opting for these systems.
Shady Attalla is a Vice President of Engineering in J.S. Held's Accident Reconstruction Practice. He has been an active member of the accident reconstruction industry since 2008. Mr. Attalla has been involved in more than 1200 technical investigations and has been the lead engineer in more than 700 technical investigations involving automobiles, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles, and mechanical failures. His specialty areas are driver and pedestrian behaviour, damage consistency analysis, and investigations of material failures. Mr. Attalla is a published author and has qualified to provide expert evidence in the Ontario Court of Justice.
Shady can be reached at [email protected] or +1 416 977 0009.
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