For decades, automotive technology has been at least partially focused on making vehicles safer. It’s not that there hasn’t been other development, of course, but safety has been a concern. Auto makers are well aware that there are about 40,000 annual traffic deaths in the United States, and they want to prevent them.
At the beginning, the types of technology were designed to make it easier to survive an accident. A seatbelt may keep you alive, or an airbag may prevent you from hitting your head on the dash. But things have changed over the years, and new tech focuses more on stopping accidents before they happen. Let’s look at a few ways that this occurs.
Adaptive technology
For one thing, some cars have features like adaptive cruise control. This allows the car to slightly change its own speed without input from the driver. If you’re using cruise control and you don’t notice that you’re getting too close to the car ahead of you, your own vehicle can slow down so that you’re not tailgating and putting yourself in danger. Auto braking systems are also in use.
Monitoring technology
Another common tactic is to put different monitors on cars to provide extra information for drivers. A great example is a blindspot monitor. Drivers often get involved in accidents when they lose sight of cars in their blindspot, so this monitor simply ignites a light on your mirror to tell you that someone is in that space.
Vision technology
Additionally, new cars often have cameras on the outside that provide a greater range of vision. This began with backup cameras, and they were proven to be so helpful that cars often now have front cameras. These can help to prevent pedestrian accidents with shorter people or children, which is very beneficial.
Even with all this technology, you could be injured when another driver makes a mistake. Make sure you know how to seek financial compensation if you are.