New Vehicle Technologies: Shaping The Future
Collisions cost the U.S. $871 billion dollars each year. Funded by consumers through insurance premiums and tax dollars, the costs outlined in this staggering statistic provided by the NHTSA represent the real consequences traffic accidents can bring about. So what, if anything, can be done to prevent collisions and lower the costs associated with them? Innovative companies like Michelin and Mercedes Benz are working on the answer through new vehicle technologies.
3D Printed Tires
Nicknamed “the Vision”, Michelin released the prototype for a tire that is both wheel and airless and has no need for rims or inflation. It’s hard for the average consumer to imagine how this blue webbed-like structure would work, but Michelin promises that it will be sturdy enough to support the automobile while still remaining flexible during impact. Made from recycled materials, the positive impact on the environment is also a plus.
So, what does this mean for drivers? Within the next few years, safety hazards like low tire pressure and blowout related car crashes could be a thing of the past. This is an amazing advancement in new vehicles technology since thousands of tire related accidents cause fatalities each year.
Attention Assist
But it’s not just the structural parts of the car that can help prevent accidents, there is also a need for innovative accident prevention devices.
Mercedes Benz has been working for over a decade on safety devices that can “make an accident less severe, less damaging, or even less likely.” One such device, Attention Assist, takes into consideration your driving style, how you interact with the vehicle as well as other parameters and outside factors. By factoring in all of this data, Attention Assist can sense when a driver might be drowsy and will suggest a stop for rest. When in use, this device can greatly reduce the chance of having a sleep related or distracted driving accident.
Collision Prevention Assistant
Also provided by Mercedes, the collision prevention assistant does just what its name says: it helps prevent collisions. For starters, the CPA helps the driver keep a safe distance from the car in front of it. This greatly decreases the likelihood of rear-end collisions and even small “fender benders”.
But collision prevention assistant is more than just a warning device as it assists with braking in the event that the driver does not brake when in close proximity of another vehicle. Constantly monitoring, this system is sure to know when a collision is likely and will help the driver avoid one if at all possible. The “attention assistant” and “collision prevention assistant” are both great new vehicle technologies that can save lives.
Vehicle to Vehicle Communication
Truckers driving eighteen wheelers have been able to communicate with each other for years using CB systems. Now, auto makers like Ford are taking this concept to a whole new level through the testing of V2V, a vehicle to vehicle communication system that uses wireless signals to send info back and forth between cars. This information, such as location, speed and direction, will allow vehicles to keep a safe distance. According to Green Car Congress, could reduce vehicle crashes on roadways by upwards of seventy-nine percent.
Although the innovative safety devices and other new vehicle technologies outlined in this article might not be widely available today, they are headed for the auto market of the future and will prevent countless would-be collisions. Until then, let Orlando Auto Body be your go to for any of your collision related needs.
