Technologies aren’t static, and the car manufacturing industry develops rapidly. Sometimes it seems that modern cars are so advanced that they’ve already reached their limit. But what about the safety of modern cars? It’s obvious that they are safer than the old models, but what technology makes them safe? Each day, almost 4,000 people die in road accidents; it’s almost 1,35 million people each year. Even despite the safety, the number of deaths is still grotesquely huge. When we look at the technological advances and compare them to the mortality statistics, we see that cars are still the most dangerous vehicles.
But let’s not forget that much depends on the driving style and driving speed. The percentage of crashes nowadays is much lower than at the end of the 20th century, but we still have a lot of issues to work on. Let’s check the safety measures that make modern cars safer than their predecessors. Remember to drive safe.
Three-point seat belt
Even though this concept was developed in the middle of the 20th century by Volvo, we still consider it necessary to be mentioned here. People who discuss this safety measure are usually divided into 2 groups: for using belts and against. You may treat this issue differently, but there’s no point in denying its effectiveness. And no wonder that Volvo is the company that created this device. As you may know, Volvo cars are the safest in the world. Since the day all cars became equipped with three-point seat belts, more than 1 million people managed to survive car crashes.
Blindspot monitor
Drivers are required to be extremely attentive on the road, but it’s almost impossible; otherwise, people will get stressed after each drive and don’t have any joy while driving. Moreover, even the most attentive people may relax and don’t notice an object, especially if it’s on the side or way in the back. Modern cars help people drive safely due to the blind spot detection system. Its cameras and sensors on the back of your car let you see other vehicles that approach your car on the driver’s side or on the back and warn the driver about the possible collision. This system is especially useful when you try to change lanes or turn.
Ultra strength steel
The coating material is crucially important for safety. It seems that there’s no point in developing a new kind of metal or technology and using an existing one. However, you’ll hardly want your car to be heavy and lack maneuverability. Therefore, Advanced High Strength Steel became the most widespread material used in car manufacturing. It’s a lot stronger than the traditional steel, and, at the same time, it’s lightweight. But the car body structure presupposes the use of different grades of steel for different parts of the body. Each material has its goal because engineers worked on this system for a long time.
Crumple zone
Have you ever seen a car crash? Usually, people who look at crashed cars think that they get compressed after the collision with another vehicle or obstacle, and it’s a negative effect. Perhaps it was true earlier, but nowadays, the so-called crumple zone. These zones absorb the collision energy, saving the passengers. As a result, people don’t get injured because of the impact force. That’s why the deformation of contemporary cars is okay. Crumple zones are usually located in the front and back of the car. This technology showed itself well enough so that it started to be used in trains and railcars.
Anti-Locking Brake System (ABS)
The modern ABS system is rather complicated than it was several years earlier. In general, this system prevents the wheels from locking up when the car’s braking. It helps the car brake faster and lets the driver maintain control over the vehicle. Modern ABS is very complicated and includes several other systems:
- Traction Control System;
- Electronic Stability Control System;
- Emergency Brake Assistance System.
Shatter-resistant glass
Even the lightest collision may break the glass, the particles of which can easily injure a driver and passengers. That’s why the improvements of its structure were crucial. Modern shatter-resistant glasses are manufactured with special technology. These glasses usually have 2 and even more layers. Each layer is laminated, and some manufacturers even place a layer of plastic between glass layers to ensure it won’t break. Such glass can be broken, but it never falls apart. Broken glass injuries in car accidents are among the most common. You may think it wouldn’t do any serious harm, but a piece of broken glass can reach your eyes or nick an artery. You’ll hardly want to die from it.
Lane departure warning system
No one is safe from falling asleep or feeling sick on the road. It’s perhaps the worst that can happen. Those people who drive old cars have very low chances to survive in such a situation. If you plan to purchase a new car, consider choosing a model with this function. If you leave the lane without the signal, the car will try to alarm you and change your path. But take into account that the system will work only if the road marking is good. The camera notices the infringement and starts to alarm the driver by all possible means: sound signal, seat vibration, visual signals and sometimes even braking. Lane departure braking systems are different in different cars, so manufacturers are free to include certain functions or not.
This list doesn’t contain all safety measures that aim to save our lives, but it gives you an overview of the technological advancements in modern cars. However, we don’t doubt the fact that it’s not the limit. A lot of technical students show outstanding results and offer a lot of new concepts for car safety measures. However, they all may get tired of their studies and get online assistance. So you also shouldn’t be afraid to buy your papers online or check literary analysis thesis examples to solve your problem quickly.