How Modern Technology is Addressing the Scariest Crash Scenarios

Kuro, which means black in Japanese, comes to life on the IMx, which was first revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2017, with new look black trim and wheels, an updated grille and a new dark gray body color.

There are many ways that a car can get into trouble on the road.  Fortunately, there are more and more systems that can keep cars out of trouble.  Here are four things that weren’t possible ten years ago. Available on more and more used cars, these systems could save your life or the life of someone on the road with you.

Busy City Streets

Busy city streets are just accidents waiting to happen.  Vehicles are caught in one lane and need to be another. Pedestrians are trying to cross, but they can’t find a crosswalk.  Redlights are too short to allow all of the traffic through.  Cars are bunched up in all directions.  No one is giving an inch.  

It would be so easy to make a mistake.  Enter the pedestrian safety system.  The warning signal and automatic braking can save the life of someone on foot. For the driver, it means the difference between a good year and a bad one.  It may be life or death for the pedestrian.

This system watches for stopping cars, reducing the number of potential fender benders. There’s a financial benefit that goes beyond what a person saves on car damage. The vehicle’s trade in value is protected, too. There won’t be anything on the history report that is now available with so many used cars today.

Crowded Highways

As bad as a city street can be, a crowded highway is sure to invite trouble. There are speeders who disregard the rules. There are nervous drivers who may make a mistake just because the whole situation has frayed their nerves. Then there are the rest of us who just want to make it to or from work without wasting hours of our time. 

Into that situation, enter dynamic radar cruise control.  This system can maintain speed, slow speed, or increase speed. It uses radar and cameras to measure how fast it can go.  All of this happens while the human driver steers. That’s less stress and less chance of an accident. 

Neighboring Cars

One of the worst crash scenarios is the side swipe. This sends one or both vehicles spinning and may take down other vehicles that have the misfortune of being in the way.

To prevent that, there are lane assistance systems which can be turned on during highway travel. This keeps the car in the center of the lane better than the human driver could do. This significantly reduces the chances that the driver will cause an accident.

Systems that watch the blind spot are another line of defense against hitting a car that’s pulling alongside.  The driver may not realize a car is in its way, but the blind spot monitor lights up to tell the driver that it isn’t safe to change lanes. Each time that happens, a potential crash is averted.

Parking Mistakes

A sure way to destroy the integrity of your vehicle investment is to scrape another car in the parking lot.  You may bash in a bumper, break a headlight, or damage the paint job. These may not be life threatening but these mistakes are hard on the wallet.

Likewise, parking mistakes can cause you to drive backwards into an oncoming car.  If you have a car with a panoramic view and a rear cross traffic alert, you are much less likely to make that mistake.  The remarkable overhead view of a panoramic camera shows you all sides of the car at once.  Rear brake assistance can help you avoid hitting a pedestrian or another car.

With all of this technology, it’s easier than ever to protect yourself and your vehicle investment. That’s good news anyone can live with.  

Robert Cooke
Rob is a certified mechanic and long-time automotive enthusiast who has worked on everyday passenger vehicles, race and rally cars, and derby cars.