Hype vs. Help: New safety features in cars

 

Advances in car technology have made it difficult to choose what add-ons you really need and which are excessive or worse yet, dangerous. We’re all for innovation, but we want to help you find out what new safety features are all hype and which ones can actually help protect you on the road. Whether you’re in the market for a new car or you’re simply curious about the newest safety features, check out our assessments of some of the most cutting-edge car technologies.

Front crash prevention

Front crash prevention includes features that both warn you when a front end collision is imminent and automatically apply the brakes to help you avoid a crash. New crash avoidance technologies, such as front crash prevention, are already reducing insurance claims from at-fault drivers. This safety feature is quickly becoming an available option in all new cars, but it can vary in effectiveness. Check the make and model of the car you’re considering on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) safety ratings to find out if it has a superior front crash prevention system.

HELP Less “bang” for your buck.

Voice activated texting

Phone related driving accidents are responsible for a growing number of car crashes. Texting while driving is the number one offender, but taking your eyes off the road for any reason is extremely hazardous. Hands-free car technology that allows you to keep your eyes on the road may seem like an advance in car safety, but studies have shown that voice activation systems cause mental distractions that can slow down a driver’s reaction times.

HYPE Use your head. Texts can wait.

Lane departure warning

Lane departure warning technology alerts you when you’re about to veer out of your lane unless your turn signal is on. This feature has progressed recently to include Lane Keep Assist, which automatically corrects your car’s course to keep you centered on the road. It might sound like a self-driving car, but the steering wheel movements are very subtle and can be overridden at any time.

HELP What’s not to like?

Rain sensing wipers

Windshield wipers are a critically important car safety feature, but why change something that doesn’t need improving? With the flick of the wrist, windshield wipers are as easy to operate as power windows. Rain sensing wipers use infrared lights to detect if your windshield glass is dry – something the human eye can do just fine. If you aren’t able to spot when it’s raining, you probably shouldn’t be driving in the first place.

HYPE If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Touch screen controls

Similar to smart phones, touch screen car consoles also require you to take your eyes off the road to operate. Touch screen car controls can be difficult to use and some even come with highly distracting features like an integrated web browser. Limited touch screen functionality, like GPS, can be useful, but conventional knobs and buttons make it easier for you to keep your eyes on the road.

HYPE Overly complicated touch screens are distracting.

Backup cameras

Cameras that allow you to see what’s in the blind spot behind your car are useful for parking, but more importantly they can save a life. Accidents that result from backing up cause an average of 292 deaths per year. Backup cameras are especially useful on larger vehicles, such as SUVs, where the blind spot might be large enough to hide a small child from your view.

HELP Another pair of eyes can only help you see better.

The World’s First Ever “Self-Cleaning” Car Unveiled

 

That newly washed car look never sticks around for long. The exterior loses its shine after one rainy day drive and it’s time to head to the car wash. However, with the recent advances in car paint technology, you may not need to.

 

Nissan recently developed a self-cleaning car prototype that uses nano-paint technology to repel mud, rain and dirt. While nano-coating has been used on items such as mobile phones to diminish fingerprints and resist water, this is the first time it’s being used on an automobile.

How exactly does it work?

The technology, called Ultra-Ever Dry, builds a layer of air between the paint and the environment that shields the vehicle’s finish from muddy water and road spray. The dirt simply rolls off the surface. Engineers at Nissan Technical Centre Europe are testing whether the paint can withstand various weather conditions. Depending on the results, this feature could become an after-market addition.

What are the benefits?

The upside is obvious – fewer trips to the car wash means one less errand to run resulting in more money saved. A typical full-service automatic car wash can range from $15 to $30 depending on the services, type of vehicle, protectants, polishes and waxes used. According to Autos.com, most companies charge from $6 to $22 more for larger cars.

 

If grime-resistant paint becomes available, it will likely carry a steep price. Would you buy the self-cleaning car if you could avoid doing the dirty work?

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Tired of Driving in Circles? Check out These Parking Apps

Innovative smart phone apps are helping to solve a major headache for drivers: Finding a parking spot that’s available and affordable. Conversely, owners of parking spaces are renting out their in-demand real estate when they don’t need it or when they want to make extra money. The whole idea is a win-win, isn’t it? If done right, it can be.

 

Want to rent out a private driveway or garage space? A growing number of apps are making it easy to find a convenient and affordable place to park your wheels.

 

Parking Panda lets companies and individuals list a parking space for free. When someone makes a reservation, a 20% transaction fee is assessed. Drivers can search real-time listings in over 40 cities and save as much as 70% with Parking Panda. Renting a spot can be done daily or monthly, and spaces are guaranteed – even if a garage sells out.

Other parking apps doing it right

ParkWhiz: Using a prepaid booking system, parking owners are able to advertise their spaces, get exposure and earn money for the use of their spots. Drivers can search for open spaces by location in real-time. Prices, amenities and customer reviews are available.

 

JustPark: Owners can list a parking space with photos and a description. When it’s booked or there’s an inquiry, they receive an email and text message. Drivers can search by date, distance and type of parking to search from thousands of spots that can be rented for 30 minutes to a year.

 

SPOT: This new app, which launched this summer, allows owners to advertise spaces for free and choose a payment method. Drivers search by city to find available spots that can rent for an hour, day, week or month.

 

ParkMe: Geared towards companies and venues, ParkMe displays available parking options and uses its ParkMe Operator Dashboard to update rates, hours of operation and payment types. Drivers can filter by location, vehicle type and length of time. They may also reserve a spot two weeks in advance.

 

According to a 2013 survey conducted by the International Parking Institute, many people believe the future of parking is mobile parking apps. What do you think?

Innovative Technology Aims to Detect Drowsy Driving

 

Driving drowsy is an accident waiting to happen – causing more than 100,000 auto accidents and 1,550 deaths each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

 

In response, carmakers and tech companies are developing technology to detect tiredness in drivers.

 

Volvo is researching a system that uses dashboard sensors to recognize if a driver is inattentive. The sensors monitor the driver’s head position and angle, the direction of their gaze, and how open their eyes are. The data is then relayed to the car’s Lane Keeping Aid and Collision Warning with full auto brake to alert the driver.

 

Ford’s Driver Alert System, featured in its Fusion Hybrid model, uses a forward-looking camera to identify signs of driver drowsiness, such as drifting between traffic lanes, and triggers a two-stage warning system.

 

Mercedes-Benz’s ATTENTION ASSIST determines driving style by analyzing more than 70 factors in the first few minutes of a drive, including steering movements, interaction with the vehicle’s controls, and even wind and road conditions. If it all adds up to driver fatigue, ATTENTION ASSIST sounds an alert.

 

Volkswagen’s Fatigue Detection system also analyzes driving characteristics after 15 minutes of driving to calculate a fatigue estimate. If the system determines the driver may be drowsy, it shows a warning in the Multi-function Display and sounds a signal.

 

Toyota Pre-Collision System with Driver Monitor focuses on the movement of the driver’s head. It projects the possibility of a collision based on how long the driver turns their head away from the road. First, a pre-crash warning alarm sounds; if the situation persists, the system will briefly apply the brakes.

 

Tech companies are in the game, too. DriveSafe, specifically designed for Google Glass, uses an algorithm to calculate your fatigue level based on factors such as the number of times the driver blinks and the angle of the driver’s head. DriveSafe then sounds off an alert signal to grab your attention and provides nearby location options for you to pull over.

 

Researchers in the UK are testing a sensor system built into the fabric of a car seat that monitors a driver’s heart to determine focus and alertness, and signals them to pull over if drowsiness is detected.

 

These technologies may help protect drivers and passengers, but these features are all supplemental to the driver’s own judgment. It’s up to the person behind the wheel to be responsible and not drive while tired.