October 14, 2024
Sara Davies
Articles
Driver technology really can revolutionise the driving experience. It can make many safety issues a thing of the past or at least substantially reduce their likelihood to cause serious incidents and casualties on our roads. If you’re looking to update your fleet, our article outlines vehicle features you could include to increase the safety of your fleet drivers and the public. Read our round up of the 10 best technologies on the market to help promote safety and ease of driving today.
1. Adaptive Cruise Control
It’s been in existence for a while but cruise control has has become more innovative than ever. Not only can it sustain a set speed, but it can adjust this speed according to traffic movement. Often using radar as well as cameras, Adaptive Cruise Control is also the basis of autonomous (or ‘self-driving’) technology, which is being tested around the world but not yet available to the general public on the road.
2. Lane Departure Warning
Lane departure and lane-keep assist warning technology detects lane markings and alerts you if you are veering from your lane. This technology helps prevent accidents, particularly in motorway driving, where long distance drivers can lose attention.
3. Autonomous Emergency Braking
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) is a vehicle safety system which monitors the traffic and road conditions ahead for signs a collision might occur. Some systems include cameras that can see cyclists and pedestrians at the edge of the road. If the system’s warnings aren’t heeded by the driver, the brakes are automatically operated with the aim of avoiding the impending hazard. AEB systems may vary between manufacturers in their precise capabilities and will often be packaged as their own specific offering such as Hyundai’s Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist or Volkswagen’s Front Assist.
4. Cross-Traffic Collision Warning
This often comes as part of optional safety packs on various cars and warns the driver if a pedestrian, cyclist or vehicle is approaching from either the front or back when their vehicle is in reverse and is backing out of a parking space. It’s very useful for drivers who are delivering goods, as well as travelling from place to place visting customers or clients. Rear-cross traffic alerts for reversing out onto the road can be helpful for drivers who frequently have to undertake this manoeuvre to leave their home or workplace. The car uses radar sensors to warn the driver of a risk of collision with a vehicle approaching and some systems will also actively brake the vehicle.
5. Blind Spot Detection
The blind spot has long been an issue for drivers but with a system as simple as a light on the wing mirror to indicate there is a vehicle in your blind spot, the likelihood of accidents resulting is significantly reduced. There is even technology available for advanced blind spot detection which actively stops your vehicle from driving into another lane if there’s a chance you’ll hit a vehicle.
6. Park Assist
Many cars now feature this parking aid, which enables drivers to park with greater precision and ease. Using sensors around your car, this technology measures up potential parking spaces as you drive and once it has detected a space big enough for your car, it asks you to stop and takes over the parking process by automating many of the manoeuvres required to park your vehicle. An advanced system whereby the system will automatically remember the path and complete the same manoeuvre once it has been undertaken initially, is also available on some cars.
7. Head-Up Display
A head-up display (HUD) promotes safe driving practices by projecting essential information such as your speed, the speed limit, route guidance and time to destination, onto the windscreen in line with your eyes, minimising the need to look away from the road ahead. Drivers can typically customise the displayed information through an intuitive control interface.
8. Night Vision
Night driving can be daunting for any driver, particularly those who find themselves driving at night on a regular basis for work purposes. Some manufacturers are now fitting night vision assistance into their cars. Thermal image cameras detect warm objects ahead which may otherwise be obscured, including cyclists, pedestrians and animals as far as 200 metres ahead, displaying an image of them in the digital display. This is particularly useful in rural areas where there is poor lighting and wildlife frequently crosses roads.
9. Intelligent Speed Assistance
Speeding is a major problem in many European countries, with a large proportion of the 500 deaths each week on EU roads caused by drivers going too fast. Mandatory on all new cars sold in the European Union since 7 July 2024 , Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) warns a vehicle when it is exceeding certain pre-set speed limits and the accelerator pedal becomes unresponsive to slow the car to the legal limit, if the driver doesn’t respond. While the EU rule has no legal force in the UK, there’s every chance we’ll get the same systems here regardless, at some point in the future.
10. Voice Activated Control
Voice control is now fitted to most new cars and is designed to increase safety, reducing car accidents caused by the driver being distracted whilst driving. It enables drivers to operate the variety of features in their vehicles. Many have integrated Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Apple Siri. Safer than using touchscreens while driving, voice activated control is designed to interpret a variety of commands. Many new cars also come with Bluetooth that allows you to play music, make phone calls and more, integrated with smartphone-based systems like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
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