Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) helps prevent slips and loss of traction by reducing engine power and applying brake force to the wheels that need it.
Ford’s in atable seat belt
is catching up to you — moving faster than you can see it — and warns you not to change lanes. And it looks ahead to see if there’s a car a mile ahead of you about to either change lanes or if a car heading in the opposite direction is about to make a turn and cross your lane. Last but not least, Audi offers infrared night vision, with displays on the dashboard that can recognize ani- mals or pedestrians not visible to the naked eye. It allows you to see pedestrians up to 300 feet sooner. Ford offers many creative innovations, including
infl atable seat belts. They operate like conventional seat belts and are compatible with child safety seats. In the event of a frontal or side crash, the infl ated belt helps distribute crash force energy across fi ve times more of the occupant’s torso than a traditional belt.
Ford’s curve control is a feature whereby the sys- tem senses when a vehicle is entering a curve too quickly, and can apply four-wheel smart braking to reduce speed. Honda’s braking system, called CMBS (Collision Mitigation Braking System) monitors the likelihood of a rear-end collision, and uses audio, visual, and tac- tile signals to alert you to the risk of collision. Should the system determine that a collision likely is unavoidable, it applies the vehicle’s brakes and tensions the front seat belts to help reduce impact force. Lexus and high-end Nissan models offer similar systems.
Toyota now makes the features of its Star Safety System standard on all its vehicles:
‘MYKEY’ TO TOP VEHICLE INNOVATIONS
FROM AUDI’S INFRARED SYSTEM TO Mercedes’ driver-alert system to Honda’s tactical braking system, auto innovations have really come of age. And there’s something for everyone. Ford has a new system that will appeal to just about every parent confronted with the inevitable “Can I borrow the car?” question from their teenagers. It’s perhaps the best teen safety feature ever invented. It’s called “MyKey.” Quite simply, it’s a
Ford’s MyKey
Brake Assist (BA) detects sudden or panic braking and applies full pressure to help prevent a collision. Traction Control (TRAC) helps maintain traction on wet, icy, loose or uneven surfaces by applying brake force. In direct response to Toyota’s much-publicized prob- lems with alleged runaway cars, the company has now developed a system that reduces engine power to help bring the vehicle to a halt when the gas and brake pedals are both engaged.
General Motors is now equipping its vehi- cles with Camera-Based Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning Systems in the 2012 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain. Then there’s GM’s StabiliTrak — an advanced computer-controlled system that assists with directional control of your car in diffi cult driving condi- tions. StabiliTrak applies braking pressure, and in some cases, reduces engine power to help steer the vehicle in the intended direction when a car veers off its intended course.
its
For a cool safety factor, GM offers instrumentation displayed on the windshield in front of you, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road. If it makes you more aware in critical situations where seconds count, it’s an option worth considering. The bottom line is that slowly but surely, tech-savvy car technology has become
GM’S Lane Departure Warning System
just as important as vehicle comfort, and is now on a par with the more recent industry emphasis on fuel econo- my. It’s not just about reacting to accidents, but avoiding them entirely. After all, comfort and style mean nothing if you don’t arrive safely.
programmable car key. You input your own limits into the key via computer — how fast the car can be driven, how loud the sound system can be cranked, a seat belt requirement (the car will not even start unless the seat belt is fastened with this provision), earlier detection of low fuel, even how far the car can be driven. And in case your child wants to override the traction-control system for some tire-spinning action, there’s an anti- override for that.
Once custom programmed by you, when your kid asks to borrow the car, simply hand over MyKey. For any parent worried about their kids’ driving, MyKey provides much-appreciated assurance. No guarantees of safety, but at least bettering the safety odds.
SEPTEMBER 2011 / NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 95
FORD/CAR CULTURE/GETTY IMAGES / GM/COURTESY OF GM / MYKEY/AP IMAGES
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