Safety in Modern Vehicles

Introduction
— When you hear the words radar, lasers and infrared
cameras you might think the conversation is about
guidance systems for modern fighter jets but
surprisingly, those three technologies could just as
easily be used in a conversation about automotive
safety. We’ve come a long way in auto safety since
Volvo introduced the three point seat belt in 1959.

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Introduction
— Automobile safety is the study and practice of
design, construction, equipment and regulation to
minimize the occurrence and consequences of
automobile accidents.
— According to the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety (IIHS), 1 in 3 fatal crashes and 1 in every 5
serious or moderate injury crashes in passenger
vehicles could have been prevented if the vehicle had
been equipped with crash-avoidance features such as
blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning systems,
side view assistance and adaptive headlights.

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Introduction
— We’ve watched how automotive safety technology has
evolved over the years and we are no longer amazed at
the number of people who walk away from
catastrophic crashes. Energy dispersing designs,
passenger cabins encased in safety cages, air bags
everywhere, smart dash designs and supplemental
restraint systems have all contributed significantly to
passenger safety and survival.

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Road traffic accident (RTA)
— A traffic collision, also known as a road traffic
accident, occurs when a vehicle collides with another
vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other
stationary obstruction, such as a tree or utility pole.
Traffic collisions may result in injury, death, vehicle
damage, and property damage.

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Road traffic accident
— A number of factors contribute to the risk of collision,
including vehicle design, speed of operation, road
design, road environment, driver skill and/or
impairment, and driver behavior.
— Worldwide, motor vehicle collisions lead to death and
disability as well as financial costs to both society and
the individuals involved.

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Head-on collision

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Roll over accident

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Side-impact

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Collision into a tree

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Active safety
— The terms "active" and "passive" are simple but
important terms in the world of automotive safety.
“Active safety" is used to refer to technology assisting
in the prevention of a crash.

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Passive safety
— The components of the vehicle like primarily airbags,
seatbelts and the physical structure of the vehicle that
help to protect occupants during a crash belong to
passive safety.

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Safety features in cars

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2008 DODGE AVENGER - Safety and Security Features

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Safety features & their capacity
for reducing the risk of injury

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Seat belts
— A properly worn seat belt provides good protection but does not
always prevent injuries. Three point lap/sash seat belts offer
superior protection to two point seat belts and should be
installed in all seating positions.
— Recent improvements to seat belt effectiveness include:
— webbing clamps that stop more seat belt reeling out as it tightens on
the spool
— pretensioners that pull the seat belt tight before the occupant starts
to move
— load limiters that manage the forces applied to the body in a crash
— seat belt warning systems to remind you if seat belts have not been
fastened.

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Seat belts

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Belt Alert
— This safety feature provides an audible and visual
warning to alert driver & front passenger when their
seat belt is unfastened.
— A sensor detects the front passenger seated and gives
audible & visual warning to fasten the seat belt.

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Height-adjustable Front Seat Belts
— This safety feature allows the
driver and front passenger to
raise and lower the shoulder belt.

— This feature encourages seat-belt

usage by offering a more
comfortable fit.

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Seatbelt Interlock
— The seatbelt interlock is a technology that takes the
existing seatbelt reminder systems one step further
and prevents the driver from starting up the car, unless
seatbelts are worn.
— The technology in SafeCar is active for the driver and
front passenger seats.

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SRS
— Stands for Supplemental Restraint System. This
comprises a network of systems designed to minimize
the chance of injury to all occupants of the vehicle in
the event of a collision. It features airbags and seatbelt
pre-tensioners that deploy immediately upon impact.

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Airbags
— Airbags are designed to supplement the protection
provided by seat belts - they are not a substitute. The
best protection in frontal crashes is achieved using a
properly worn seat belt in combination with an airbag.
— Drivers’ airbags or frontal airbags typically deploy from
the steering wheel to protect the driver from striking
other parts of the car in a frontal crash.
— Drivers’ airbags are designed to be used in conjunction
with seatbelts and do not offer protection in the event
of a side impact crash.

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Airbags

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Airbags inflated

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SRS & air bags

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Side cushion or Curtain airbags
— Curtain airbags are designed to protect the driver's and
passenger's heads in a crash.
How do they work?
— The curtain airbag activates instantaneously in the event of a
side impact crash, deploying from the top of the door rails above
the side window. They form a cushion between the driver or
passengerand the window and stay in place if the car rolls over to
protect their head.
— Why do I need them?
Research conducted in the USA estimates that head protecting
airbags can reduce driver deaths in the event of a side impact
crash by close to 40%*. Without them, in a side impact crash
there is little to protect your head from striking the side of the
car2016
26 August or rigid objects
Safetylike trees
features orcars
in modern poles. 27
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Drivers Knee Airbag
— Driver knee airbags are extra airbags that are designed
to cushion the knees of the driver in the event of a
crash.

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Thorax Airbags With Head
Protection
— Thorax airbags with head protection provide
protection to both the body and the head in the event
of a side impact crash, but are less effective than
curtain airbags in rollover crashes.
— Thorax airbags with head protection mostly activate
from the seat but some types deploy from the door.

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Occupant-sensitive/dual-stage
airbags
— All humans are not created equal, and airbags are
evolving to compensate in the form of low-risk,
multistage and occupant-sensitive deployment.
Technology can now sense the different sizes and
weights of occupants as well as seatbelt usage,
abnormal seating position (such as reaching for the
radio or bending to pick something off the f loor), rear-
facing child seats and even vehicle speed.

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Advanced multi-stage air bags
— Front-passenger air bags that use unique shape, venting,
folding patterns, advanced inf lators or a combination of
these four technologies to position and inf late the restraint
properly for a belted passenger while also meeting federal
safety requirements for out-of-position, small occupants
and rear-facing infant seats.
— Occupants are advised to always sit properly in their seats
with the seat belt fastened. Children 12 and younger
should always be seated in a back seat, correctly using an
infant- or child-restraint system, or have the seat belt
positioned correctly for their age and weight.

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Head rests
— Head rests are important safety features and should be
fitted to all seats - front and back. Head rest position is
critical for preventing whiplash in rear impact crashes.
Whiplash is caused by the head extending backward
from the torso in the initial stage of rear impact, then
being thrown forward.
— To prevent whiplash the head rest should be at least as
high as the head's centre of gravity (eye level and
higher) and as close to the back of the head as
possible.

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Head rests

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Shatter proof Windscreen
— The car windscreen is actually two glass glued together
to prevent splinting in an event of collision.
— The safety glass is specially designed to break into
large, circular pieces instead of shattering into
dangerous glass shards in a car collision. This prevents
severe injury for the person inside the car.

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Damaged windscreen

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Damaged windscreen

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Crumple zones
— Modern cars protect drivers and passengers in frontal,
rear and offset crashes by using crumple zones to
absorb crash energy. This means that the car absorbs
the impact of the crash, not the driver or passengers.
— The passenger safety cell and the side impact bars are
car safety features which works the same way as the like
the front and rear crumple zones. Both absorbs the
impact of any force which acts upon them and scatters
it away to the areas around the person inside the car.

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Crumple zone - frontal

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Crumple zone – rear

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Side impact protection
— Increased side door strength, internal padding and
better seats can improve protection in side impact
crashes. Most new cars have side intrusion beams or
other protection within the door structure. Some cars
also have padding on the inside door panels.
— Increasingly, car manufacturers are installing side
airbags that provide protection from severe injury.
Head-protecting side airbags, such as curtain airbags,
are highly effective in side impact and rollover crashes.

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Side impact protection

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Force of side-collision dissipated

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Strong occupant compartment
— The cabin of the car should keep its shape in frontal
crashes to protect the driver and passenger’s space.
The steering column, dashboard, roof pillars, pedals
and f loor panels should not be pushed excessively
inwards, where they are more likely to injure drivers
and passengers. Doors should remain closed during a
crash and should be able to be opened afterwards to
assist in quick rescue, while strong roof pillars can
provide extra protection in rollover crashes.

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Strong occupant compartment
with side impact protection

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Strong occupant compartment

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Energy-absorbing Steering Column
— This safety feature utilizes two hydro-formed coaxial
tubes that can move relative to each other to allow the
column to move forward for enhanced energy-
absorption during a frontal crash.
— The power-adjust steering column employs a
calibrated bending element that deforms during
column stroke for optimal energy management.

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Energy-absorbing Steering Column

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Car seat by child’s age chart

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Child restraints

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Infant car seat – till 2 years of age
— Infant car seats can only be used rear-facing, and must
never be placed forward-facing in a vehicle.
— Infant car seats should always be installed in the back
seat. Used till 2 years or 35 pounds weight.
— This is the best seat for your young child to use. It has a
harness and, in a crash, cradles and moves with your
child to reduce the stress to the child's fragile neck and
spinal cord.

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Infant rear facing seat

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Forward facing convertible seat
— Positions the seat belt so that it fits properly over the
stronger parts of your child's body.

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Booster Seat
— Booster seats lift children and
position lap and shoulder belts so
they offer the best protection in a
crash.
— The shoulder belt should fit snug
across the center of the shoulder
and not across the neck or face or
slipping off the shoulder.
— The lap belt should lie flat across
the upper thighs and not on the
tummy.

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Child-protection Rear Door Locks
— This safety feature disable the rear doors’ inside-
release handle via a small lever on the door-shut face.
— The rear doors can be opened only from outside and
not accidentally by children from inside.
— The feature is activated manually by depressing the
small lever down.

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Child protection rear door lock

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Antilock Braking System
— ABS (Antilock Braking System) reduces the risk of
tyres skidding under heavy braking and allows the
driver to maintain steering control of the car.
— ABS only operates under heavy braking or on slippery
surfaces.

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Anti-lock braking system (ABS)

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Active Braking Systems
— Active braking systems are a new safety technology
that provide drivers with braking support during
emergency situations.
— Brake Assist, measure the speed and force of brake
application to determine whether the driver is
attempting an emergency stop. If such an emergency is
determined, the system applies additional brake
pressure to allow the driver to take full advantage of
the Anti-lock braking system (ABS) which prevents
wheel lock up.

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How will Active Braking Systems
help me?
— Active braking can be of assistance to the driver by:
— preventing rear collisions by assisting with maximum
brake force in emergency situations
— warning of the potential for a collision with an
upcoming car or obstacle
— preventing rear collisions by partially applying the
braking and assisting with maximum brake force in
emergency situations

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Brake/Park Interlock
— Prevents an automatic transmission or transaxle from
being shifted out of Park until the brake pedal is
applied.

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Electronic Stability Control
— Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
helps drivers to avoid crashes by
reducing the danger of skidding, or
losing control as a result of over-
steering. ESC becomes active when a
driver loses control of their car. It uses
computer controlled technology to
apply individual brakes and help
bring the car safely back on track,
without the danger of fish-tailing.

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Electronic Stability Control
— Electronic stability control is a fancy name for a bunch
of sensors mounted throughout your vehicle that tell
the computer at the heart of your vehicle what is
happening. This way the computer can make minute
adjustments to your vehicle to keep it on the road and
keep you and your passengers safe.
— Electronic stability control is one of the least flashy
safety features, but its effectiveness at preventing
deaths cannot be denied.

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Electronic Stability Control
How it works?

— ESC works by using a number of intelligent sensors

that detect any loss of control and automatically apply
the brake to the relevant wheel, putting your car back
on the intended path.
— ESC is of assistance to the driver in:
— correcting impending over-steering or under-steering
— stabilizing the car during sudden evasive manoeuvres
— enhancing handling on gravel patches, such as road
shoulders
— improving traction on slippery or icy roads.

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Electronic stability control system

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Is ESC different to Antilock Braking
(ABS) and Traction Control?
— ABS and Traction control are integral components of
an ESC system. Whilst every car with ESC has ABS
and Traction Control, those with ABS and Traction
control do not necessarily have ESC. ABS and Traction
Control only work in the driving (longitudinal)
direction. ESC can help drivers to cope with sideways
(lateral) movements which create instability. Unlike
ABS and Traction Control, ESC is a holistic system that
can control a car’s entire movements.

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Electronic stability control

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Traction Control
— Traction Control systems optimize grip and stability of
the car on the road during acceleration by measuring
wheel rotation. It stops wheel spin by reducing engine
power or temporarily applying the brakes to that
wheel, allowing the car to accelerate smoothly, even on
slippery surfaces.
— Limited slip differentials also help provide a more even
distribution of traction forces when the car is on a
slippery surface.

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Traction Control
— Traction Control detects wheel slippage (one or more
wheels spinning faster than the others) during
acceleration and applies brake pressure to the
appropriate wheels, which subsequently transfers
power and torque to the opposite wheels.
— Traction Control also helps in cornering and handling
situations in both normal and inclement conditions to
prevent understeer and oversteer.

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Traction Control

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Traction Control
— Traction
control
systems
limit power
to the drive
wheels to
prevent
wheel-spin
under
acceleration

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Understeer
— Understeer and
oversteer are vehicle
dynamics terms used to
describe the sensitivity of
a vehicle to steering.
— Understeer is what occurs
when a car steers less
than (under) the amount
commanded by the
driver.

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Oversteer
— Oversteer is what
occurs when a car
turns (steers) by more
than (over) the
amount commanded
by the driver.

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Vertical stability control - VSC
— It is a safety feature that deploys when cornering. As a
car enters a curve, the VSC system monitors any loss of
traction or slippage on any of the individual wheels. In
doing so it eliminates both understeer and oversteer,
which reduces the control the driver has over the
vehicle.
— In either instance, the VSC system will take control to
orientate the vehicle in such a way as to prevent the
rear slipping or the front pushing forward.

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Traction control - TRC
— This feature detects wheel spin and either applies
pressure to the brakes or slows the engine to stop it.
Typically it deploys when driving in wet road
conditions, the system constantly monitors how the
tires are performing against the road.
— TRC is also beneficial if one half of the car is on a
different surface, one that provides less traction, such
as grass or gravel.

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Tyre Pressure Monitor
— Tyre pressure monitors detect when a tyre drops below
the designated pressure and alerts the driver.
— Sensors at the wheels are able to alert you if the air
pressure is too low by an audible warning, a light on
the instrument panel, or both.

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Add-on tyre pressure monitor

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Daytime Running Lights
— Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) are headlights that
are illuminated during the day in order to make
vehicles more visible and thus reduce their
involvement in crashes. It is possible to fit vehicles
with a device that will automatically activate DRLs
when the ignition is switched on but is overridden by
full strength headlights.
— DRLs have been found to increase driver’s peripheral
perception of vehicles. It is also easier for drivers to
estimate the distance to vehicles with DRLs.

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Daytime running lamps (DRL)

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Fog Lamps
— Fog lamps have a low, flat, fan shaped beam designed
to improve the driver’s ability to view the road. Fog
lamps must only be used in low visibility conditions
such as fog or snow.

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Reversing camera
— It is a special type of video camera that is produced
specifically for the purpose of being attached to the
rear of a vehicle to aid in backing up, and to alleviate
the rear blind spot. Backup cameras are alternatively
known as 'reversing cameras' or 'rear view cameras'. It
is specifically designed to avoid a Backup collision. The
area directly behind vehicles has been described as a
"killing zone" due to the associated carnage

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Reversing camera
— The design of a backup camera is distinct from other
cameras in that the image is horizontally f lipped so
that the output is a mirror image. This is necessary
because the camera and the driver face opposite
directions, and without it, the camera's right would be
on the driver's left and vice versa. A mirrored image
makes the orientation of the display consistent with
the physical mirrors installed on the vehicle. A backup
camera typically sports a wide angle or fish-eye lens.

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Reversing Camera
— Reversing cameras improves the rearward view and
can assist drivers in detecting persons or objects in the
path of a reversing vehicle.

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Reverse camera

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Reverse backup sensors
— These are proximity sensors for automobiles designed to
alert the driver to obstacles while parking. These systems,
use either electromagnetic or ultrasonic sensors. Rear
sensors activated when reverse gear is selected and
deactivated as soon as any other gear selected.
— Ultrasonic sensors: These sensors emit acoustic pulses, with a
control unit measuring the return interval of each ref lected
signal and calculating object distances.[2] The system in turns
warns the driver with acoustic tones, the frequency indicating
object distance, with faster tones indicating closer proximity
and a continuous tone indicating a minimal pre-defined
distance.
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Reverse backup sensors
— For use with or without a camera, this equipment
beeps if you are about to hit something while backing
up.

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Parking assist
— Parking aid offers greater
comfort and support when
parking. Visual and/or
audible warnings are
issued with escalating
urgency when the vehicle is
within 250 cm of an
obstacle. The driver has a
reliable indicator of how
much space remains, even
if the line of sight is
blocked. Even the smallest
parking spaces can be used
as a result.
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Active parking assist
— It uses ultra-sonic based sensing system & electric
powered steering system to position the vehicle for
parallel parking .
— Drivers can operate the system with a touch of the
button & without touching the steering wheel.

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Active parking assist

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Rear view mirror
— A rear-view mirror is a mirror in automobiles and
other vehicles, designed to allow the driver to see
rearward through the vehicle's backlight.
— In cars, the rear-view mirror is usually affixed to the
top of the windshield on a swivel mount allowing it to
be adjusted to suit the height and viewing angle of any
driver and to swing harmlessly out of the way if
impacted by a vehicle occupant in a collision.
— The rear-view mirror is augmented by one or more
side-view mirrors.

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Objects in mirror are closer than
they appear – Engraved Warning
— Safety warning that is required to be engraved on
passenger side-mirrors of motor vehicles in the USA,
Canada and India.
— While these mirrors' convexity gives them a useful
field of view, it also makes objects appear smaller.
Since smaller-appearing objects seem farther away
than they actually are, a driver might make a maneuver
such as a lane change assuming an adjacent vehicle is a
safe distance behind, when in fact it is quite a bit
closer.[

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Rear view mirror

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Side mirror
— A door mirror/side mirror is found on the exterior
of motor vehicles for the purposes of helping the
driver see areas behind and to the sides of the vehicle,
outside of the driver's peripheral vision.

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Side mirror

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Day-night mirror
— This can be tilted to reduce the brightness and glare of
lights, mostly for high-beam headlights of vehicles behind
which would otherwise be ref lected directly into the
driver's eyes at night.
— On manual tilt versions, a tab is used to adjust the mirror
between "day" and "night" positions. In the day view
position, the front surface is tilted and the ref lective back
side gives a strong ref lection. When the mirror is moved to
the night view position, its ref lecting rear surface is tilted
out of line with the driver's view. This view is actually a
ref lection off the low-ref lection front surface; only a much-
reduced amount of light is ref lected into the driver's eyes.
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Day-night mirror

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Blind-spot detection/side
assist/collision warning
— This technology is designed to alert you to cars or
objects in your blind spot during driving or parking, or
both. Usually it will respond when you put on your turn
signal; if it detects something in the way, it may f lash
a light in your mirror, cause the seat or steering
wheel to vibrate, or sound an alarm. This is more of a
short-range detection system.

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Blind spots
— As one is driving an
automobile, blind spots
are the areas of the road
that cannot be seen
while looking forward
or through either the
rear-view or side
mirrors.

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Blind spots

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Society of Automotive Engineers
recommendation (SAE)
— Adjust the outside mirrors so far outward that the viewing
angle of the side mirrors just overlaps that of the cabin’s
rearview mirror. This can be disorienting for drivers used to
seeing the f lanks of their own car in the side mirrors. But
when correctly positioned, the mirrors negate a car’s blind
spots. This obviates the need to glance over your shoulder
—
to safely change lanes as well as the need for an expensive
blind-spot warning system.
The only problem is getting used to the SAE-recommended
mirror positions. The cabin’s rearview mirror is used to
keep an eye on what is coming up from behind, while the
outside mirrors ref lect the area outside the view of the
inside rearviewSafety
mirror.
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Blind-spot Warning System
— Blind spot warning systems detect the distance and closing
speed of objects in adjacent lanes and alert the driver if a
collision is imminent.
— On a highway, a car which is far behind can be clearly seen
in the rear view mirrors. However, as the car approaches, a
point is reached where the car cannot be seen in either the
interior or exterior mirrors. Typically this occurs when the
car is just behind and to one side of the vehicle it is
overtaking. It is a common mistake for drivers to change
lanes when there is a vehicle in this so-called "blind spot", a
manoeuvre which causes many crashes.

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Head lights

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Low beam
— Low beam (dipped beam) headlamps provide a
distribution of light designed to provide adequate
forward and lateral illumination, with limits on light
directed towards the eyes of other road users to control
glare. This beam is intended for use whenever other
vehicles are present ahead, whether oncoming or
being overtaken.

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Low beam of head lights (Dim)

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Low beam pattern for right hand
traffic

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High beam
— High beam (main beam, driving beam, full beam)
headlamps provide a bright, centre-weighted
distribution of light with no particular control of light
directed towards other road users' eyes. As such, they
are only suitable for use when alone on the road, as the
glare they produce will dazzle other drivers.

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High beam of head lights (Dip)

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High beam pattern for right hand
drive

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 Adaptive headlights
— Adaptive headlights follow the direction of the vehicle
(bending the light as you go around corners).
— The Adaptive Headlights cast their beam in the direction of
the curve and ensure better visibility and more safety during
night drives on winding roads.
— Sensors measure speed, steering angle and yaw (degree of
rotation around the vertical axis). Based on this information,
small electric motors turn the headlights left or right so the
beam falls on the road ahead, guiding you into the bend.
— Headlight beam throw control means the front headlights are
raised at high speeds and lowered at slower speeds, which
results in a wider beam for inner-city driving.

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 Adaptive headlights
Dotted line indicates usual range of light
Continuous line shows light adapted to the curve of the road

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Automatic headlamps
— A sensor activates the headlights on at dusk and off at
dawn, or more often when the car enters a dark
underground parking or tunnels in broad day light
— This feature alerts the driver by the head lights turning
on encountering sudden darkness.

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Night-vision assist
— Night vision can be executed in different forms, such
as infrared headlamps or thermal-imaging cameras.
But no matter the science, the goal is the same: to help
you see farther down the road and to spot animals,
people or trees in the path — even at nearly 1,000 feet
away. An image is generated through a cockpit display,
brightening the objects that are hard to see with the
naked eye.

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Inside Emergency Trunk Release
— This safety feature with a glow-in-the-dark release
handle, can be activated in the event of an adult or
child being inadvertently trapped inside the trunk.

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Keyless entry system
— It is an electronic lock that controls access to a vehicle
without using a traditional mechanical key.
— It is also called remote central locking, refers to a
lock that uses an electronic remote control as a key
which is activated by a handheld device.

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Keyless entry system

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Smart key
— Cars have a proximity system that is triggered if a key like
transducer is within a certain distance of the car.
— With the smart key system, a vehicle can be unlocked
without the driver needing to physically push a button on
the key fob to lock or unlock the car and is also able to start
or stop the ignition without physically having to insert the
key and turning the ignition. Instead, as you approach the
vehicle, the vehicle senses that the key (located in a pocket,
purse, etc.) is approaching the vehicle. When the key fob is
within the car's required "bubble" distance, the car will
sense & unlock the doors.

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Smart key
— The Start/Stop engine
button. On pressing
with the smart key
with you the engine is
started.

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Speed alert system
— A speed alert system, common on many cars, only
provides an audiovisual warning if the speed
programmed by the driver is exceeded. ISA
automatically provides warnings in all speed zones
once the posted speed limit is exceeded by a set
amount (eg. 2km/hr or more).
— ISA uses GPS and digital mapping to determine the
cars location and the speed limit for the road on which
the car is travelling.

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Cross Traffic Alert system
— Have you ever gone to reverse out of a nose-in car park
only to be blasted by a vehicle driving perhaps too fast
behind you?
— This system uses sensors in the rear corners of the car
to determine if it is safe or not to reverse out. If the
sensors detect a vehicle, the dash gives you a beep to
warn you.

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Cross Traffic Alert system

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Road-Sign Recognition system
— Sensors in the front of the car automatically ‘read’ road
signs for you.
— The speed limit is continuously displayed inside the
speedo area and updates every time it sees a new
sign/speed limit.
— It can also pick up ‘narrow bridge’ and ‘no overtaking’
signs.
— If you’ve ever been on a journey and thought to
yourself, ‘gee, I can’t remember what the speed limit is’,
this completely eradicates that.
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Road-Sign Recognition system

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Road-Sign Recognition system
— Road-sign recognition
systems help drivers to
navigate the “road-sign
jungle.” The system’s video
camera reliably reads road
signs, variable message
signs, and overhead
signage. A symbol in the
cockpit display then
communicates
information to the driver,
for example about
restrictions on overtaking
or speed limits.

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Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA)
— Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) is a safety technology
that alerts drivers when they exceed the speed limit.
ISA activates when a driver exceeds the posted speed
limit for a section of road by a set speed (eg. 2km/hr or
more). Audio and visual warnings activate to remind
the driver that they are going too fast.
— ISA can also be fitted with a speed limiting function
which increases the pressure on the accelerator when
you exceed the posted speed limit, making it harder to
accelerate.

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ISA - How does it work?
— ISA determines the location of the car through global
positioning (GPS) navigation and cross references this
information to a digital road map containing speed limit
information for each road. It then analyses the speed of
the car and issues a visual and audio warning to notify the
driver if they are travelling at a defined amount
(eg. 2km/hr) or more over the speed limit.
— If ISA is used as an active speed limiter it can physically
prevent the driver from exceeding the posted speed limit by
reducing the throttle signal going to the car's computer if it
detects excessive throttle for the current speed limit zone
the car is travelling in.
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ISA can be of assistance to driver by
— Advising when the speed limit is being exceeded.
— Advising when speed limits change along a stretch of
road such as those associated with traffic conditions,
weather or school zones.
— Advising of the current posted speed limit in any
location.
— Preventing excessive speeding.

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Adaptive cruise control
— This uses forward-looking sensors like radar and
cameras to monitor the distance to a lead vehicle.
— The system will automatically slow the vehicle down in
traffic to maintain a safe following distance without
the driver having to do anything.
— As traffic speeds up, the vehicle accelerates to maintain
the preset speed.
— A radar or laser sensor setup allowing the vehicle to
slow when approaching another vehicle ahead and
accelerate again to the preset speed when traffic
allows.
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Schematic of Intelligent Cruise Control. The red
car automatically follows the blue car

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Lane Departure Warning
— This is a mechanism designed to warn a driver when
the vehicle begins to move out of its lane(unless a turn
signal is on in that direction) on freeways and arterial
roads.
— These systems are designed to minimize accidents by
addressing the main causes of collisions: driver error,
distractions and drowsiness.
— Lane warning/keeping systems are based on:
— Video sensors in the visual domain (mounted behind
the windshield, typically integrated beside the rear
mirror)
— Laser sensors (mounted on the front of the vehicle)

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Lane Departure Warning
—
Many technologies warn the driver when their car is getting close
to the lane marking. Different systems use different warnings:
some give an audible signal, while others use a vibrating steering
wheel to simulate the feeling of the car running over a 'rumble
strip'. The intention is simply to make the driver aware that the
car is in danger of crossing the line. Some systems need a line
only on one side of the car, while other systems rely on having a
distinct marking on both sides.
— Lane departure warning systems rely on distinct lane markings:
their effectiveness is reduced if lines cannot be clearly
distinguished such as in heavy rain or fog, or if the road
markings are obscured by mud or snow. In such cases, an
indication is given to the driver that the system is unable to
assist.

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Roadways with lane markings

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Sensor for lane departure system

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Sensor for lane departure system

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Windshield camera tracking lane
markings

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Lane departure warning displayed

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Lane departure system in action

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Lane Departure Warning

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Lane Keep Assist
— Lane keep assist proactively steers the car back into the
lane. When the car is close to a marking, the system
gently steers the car away from the line until it is safely
within the lane.
— The system can steer the car either by applying gentle
braking to one wheel, or in the case of electric steering
systems, by applying a direct steering input.

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Predictive emergency braking
system (PEBS)
— PEBS is based on the networking of a radar sensor with
Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
— It can assist in reducing rear-end crashes through its
three-stage approach, thus offering drivers advanced
warning for improved braking reaction time in critical
situations, and assistance in avoiding crashes or
reducing the risk of injury in crashes that are
unavoidable.

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Predictive emergency braking
system (PEBS)

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Forward collision avoidance
system
— Using the same forward-looking sensors, these pre-
crash warning systems alert drivers with visual or
auditory cues when the vehicle is getting too close to
the one in front.

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Collision avoidance systems

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Collision avoidance systems

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Collision avoidance systems
— Collision Avoidance systems is part of adaptive cruise
control, which helps to avoid collisions.
— The technology uses radar to keep a check on the
vehicles ahead, and decreases the speed automatically
by autonomous braking and by reducing the throttle.

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Driver Drowsiness Detection (DDD)
— DDD utilizes a driver’s steering input to determine
their level of drowsiness.
— A visual and/or audible alert is delivered to the driver
when drowsiness is detected.

16 Safety features in modern cars 146

Driver Drowsiness Detection

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Enhanced Accident Response
System (EARS)
— This safety feature makes it easier for emergency
personnel to see and reach occupants in the event of
an accident by turning on the interior lighting and
unlocking the doors after air-bag deployment. Also
shuts off the f low of fuel to the engine.

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Color
— You might think black is chic, but a white car could
save your life!
— A Monash University Accident Research Centre study
demonstrated that white cars had the lowest crash risk
in all types of light conditions (night/overcast/bright
sun), while black cars were more likely to be involved in
a crash, particularly in daylight hours. Opt for white or
lighter color cars to improve your visibility on the road.

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White color car

016 Safety features in modern cars 149

Black color car

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Security Alarm
— This safety feature blows the horn intermittently and
f lashes the turn signal lamps to deter vandalism and
theft.
— It protects the vehicle from theft by monitoring both
the door- and lift gate-ajar switches and the ignition
circuit for unauthorized entry.

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Engine Immobilizer
— This safety feature utilizes an engine key that has an
embedded transponder with a preprogrammed
security key code to shut the engine off.
— An electronic chip in the key contains an electronic
code that is transmitted to the vehicle. Only when the
electronic code in the chip corresponds to the vehicle's
registered code can the immobiliser
system be cancelled allowing you
to start the engine.

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Hands-free Communication
System
— This feature uses
Bluetooth technology to
provide voice-activated
wireless communication
between the occupants’
compatible cell phone and
the vehicle’s onboard
receiver.
— The hands-free option
promotes safety, freedom,
value and f lexibility.

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Dashboard with Instrument
cluster
— Items located on the dashboard at first included the
steering wheel and the instrument cluster. The instrument
cluster pictured to the right contains gauges such as a
speedometer, tachometer, odometer and fuel gauge, and
indicators such as gearshift position, seat belt warning
light, parking-brake-engagement warning light and an
engine-malfunction light. There may also be indicators for
low fuel, low oil pressure, low tire pressure and faults in the
airbag (SRS) system. Heating and ventilation controls and
vents, lighting controls, audio equipment and automotive
navigation systems are also mounted on the dashboard.

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Dashboard with Instrument
cluster

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Warning- Engine oil low

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Warning – Radiator water
temperature high

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Warning- Battery not charging

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Warning – Air bag malfunction

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Warnings – Door open

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Warning – Fuel very low

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Warning – Speed more than 120
kms/hour

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Warning – Engine needs service

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Warning – High beam activated

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Warning – Indicators on

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Seat belt reminder

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Hazard warning lights on

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Glow plug warning – in diesel cars not
to start the car till the light goes off

Safety features in modern cars 168

Pedestrian protection
— Cars with a more 'pedestrian friendly' front end should
reduce the severity of injury if you're unfortunate
enough to hit a pedestrian -- particularly at speeds of
up to 30mph.

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Pedestrian protection

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Pedestrian airbag technology
— In order to mitigate the consequences if a collision
with a pedestrian is unavoidable, the Volvo V40,
launched in 2012, comes equipped with the world’s
first Pedestrian Airbag Technology.
— Seven sensors embedded in the front of the car
transmit signals to a control unit. When the car comes
into contact with an object, the control unit evaluates
the signals and if it registers a human-like leg form,
the pedestrian airbag is deployed.

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Pedestrian airbag technology
— The bonnet hinges are equipped with pyrotechnical release
mechanisms which, when the system is activated, pull out a
pin and release the rear of the bonnet. At the same time,
the airbag is inf lated. During the inf lation sequence, the
airbag raises the bonnet. It is lifted 10 centimetres and stays
in the raised position.
— The added gap between the bonnet and the hard
components in the engine compartment gives space for the
bonnet to deform, absorbing energy and dampening the
impact of the pedestrian’s head and chest.
— It helps to cushion the impact by covering the hard parts
around the windscreen.

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Pedestrian protection

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Pedestrian protection

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Pedestrian protection

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