Modern Car Safety Features

Daniel Mwangi
6 Min Read
Image of crash test collision

What are the Common Car Safety Features?

Car safety features are systems and accessories installed in vehicles to perform
various tasks for the safety of drivers and passengers. Technology has made it possible to
develop, integrate and automatically operate these car safety systems in vehicles.

The features are broadly classified into two categories, passive and active. Passive features are activated only when the need arises, such as airbags and seatbelts. Active features are constantly on the lookout for any anomaly so as to alert the driver or automatically correct the issue.

The modern vehicle has experienced successful incorporation of these car safety systems, thanks
to technological advances in the automobile industry. In addition, safety features have significantly
reduced the risk of serious car crashes and lowered injury risk in road accidents.

TechAutoJunction will look at the most common safety features available in modern
automobiles.

Airbags

Airbags are standard car safety features in all modern vehicles. They are nylon inflatable bags
installed in the steering wheel for the driver and in the dashboard for the passenger. They are
also referred to as supplementary restraint systems (SRS) because they support other features
such as seatbelts in the event of a crash.

Airbags act as cushions that minimize the effect of force during a car crash. Some modern vehicles also have airbags mounted along the roof lining above doors and on the seats to further protect the car occupants during accidents.

Front collision warning system

This system uses a visual indicator alert and a sound alert to alert the driver of an imminent
danger. It incorporates a radar sensor at the front of the vehicle that picks up any abrupt changes, such as speed and lane shifts of the two vehicles in front.

The radar sensor takes in the distance between the vehicles ahead or any speed variations and sends the data to the vehicle control unit for timely alerts to the driver.

Anti-lock brake system

This car safety system uses four accessories to achieve the desired results automatically;

  • pressure pump
  • brake valves
  • speed sensors
  • control unit

This system prevents wheels from locking in the event of abrupt braking to
avoid wheel-skidding. This gives the driver the power to steer the car effectively in the
desired direction.

Skidding wheels have little or no traction and this significantly reduces the
braking distance and takes away the driver’s steering control. The anti-lock brake system
automatically eases the pressure on respective brake valves to stop the wheels from locking
and skidding.

The control unit in the vehicle picks all this data from the sensors installed in
each wheel, processes the information, and sends commands to respective valves for the
required action. This is done in split seconds.

Lane departure warning system

This car safety system warns the driver when the motor vehicle drifts off the lane. It uses visual indicators
on the dashboard and clear audio alerts for the driver to get the vehicle back on track.

The system is deliberately designed not to work if the turning signal is on, or in some cars when
the brakes are applied. This feature has lately been upgraded to include a lane assist system
and lane centering system in some of the modern vehicle models. The lane assist literally gets
your vehicle from the road marker, while lane centering guides it back to the center of the
lane.

Back up camera in Car Safety

This has become a custom car safety feature in almost all modern vehicle models. The system
incorporates a miniature camera at the back of the car and a monitor on the dashboard. The
camera is fitted above the rear licence number plate at an angle that allows it to clearly scan
the area behind the vehicle. Most vehicles use a radio screen while others have a dedicated
monitor for the backup camera. The system is designed to automatically work when the
driver engages the reverse gear. The system helps the driver to effectively scan the rear area
when parking or backing out of parking.

Do not confuse a backup camera with a rear-view camera. The rear camera can be switched
on or off by the driver or connected to accessories power and is used to scan the rear area
when on the road. Most rear-view cameras are designed to record video footage in case a
vehicle is rear-ended.

Wrap-up on Car Safety Features

Among others, these are just some of the many car safety features available in modern automobiles. There are many advanced systems that have been installed in vehicles all aimed at providing safety
to occupants, pedestrians, and animals on the road. TechAuto Junction will continue to present
these features as we look at the impact of technology on the automobile industry.

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