Major advancements in technology are leading to a wealth of consumer technologies, but in some ways, it's the increasing use of these high-tech products that is making safety technology in vehicles more necessary than ever.



It's a good news bad news scenario.

The good news - more collision avoidance systems and other advanced safety systems that help collision avoidance are being developed to help keep drivers heading in the right direction.

The bad news, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report, is that from now through 2015, more complex devices will be developed for use in cars that could increase driver distraction. The advanced and rapid evolution of complex products includes new applications and detailed screens in portable devices such as cell phones with text messaging and more advanced features, as well as MP3 players. Also of concern is the fact that teens are the most likely group behind the wheel to be affected by these distractions. This makes sense since younger drivers tend to be the earliest adopters of new devices and that the combination of driving distractions and lack of fully developed driving skills suggests significant risks for this group.

Thank goodness automotive safety engineers have been busy. There is an impressive array of safety innovations and advancements that can be found in most of the new vehicles in today's dealerships and an even more impressive lineup of technological innovations that will be available in the near future to assist and help refocus distracted drivers. Most cars on the road today already feature safety innovations such as:

Anti-lock Braking Systems: Help reduce the chance of skidding by pulsing the brakes to prevent the wheels from locking up, particularly on wet or slippery roads, or during a panic stop. This advancement in brake technology is helpful in enhancing steering and directional control. An anti-lock braking system (ABS) pumps brakes automatically so that the driver can concentrate more on the steering.

Traction Control: Works along the same principle as the anti-lock braking system; it detects loss of traction during acceleration on icy and slippery surfaces and pulses the wheels to enhance drivability.

Crumple Zones: Engineers have designed vehicle frames in such a way that during a severe impact the vehicle crumples in a predetermined pattern. This allows the frame to absorb some of the collision energy by displacing the crash impact and diverting some of it from the passenger compartment.

Crash Resistant Door Pillars: Similar in theory to crumple zones, this safety innovation is particularly significant in the case of a side collision, deflecting the force of the side impact away from the head area and toward the legs.

Head Restraints: One of the less talked about but important safety features, head restraints limit head movement during rear impact crashes significantly reducing the possibility of neck injury. These are present in the front seats and may also be found in the back seats.

Airbags: The argument can be made that no other safety feature has saved more lives in head-on collisions than the airbag. In the case of a front impact collision, an air cushion deployed in a split second helps to provide protection to front occupants. Airbags have evolved since their introduction and are now being fitted in doors and rear seatbacks to protect the driver and passengers from side impacts as well.

Safety engineers are continuing to push the envelope with innovative safety systems. The focus on passive safety has shifted to active safety more recently. Research and development of various radar and vision systems is taking safety to very impressive levels and includes:

Back-up Sensing System: This advancement in vehicle safety and security produces a warning signal when a person, pet or an object like a car, motorcycle or grocery cart is detected behind the equipped vehicle. Sensors are typically located in the rear bumper.

Adaptive Cruise Control: This innovation uses a long-range radar sensor to detect objects in the vehicle's forward path. Using the throttle and brakes, the system automatically manages vehicle speed to maintain a driver-selected gap between the equipped vehicle and the vehicle ahead.

Lane Departure Warning: This system tracks painted lane boundaries and helps alert the driver should the vehicle start to unintentionally drift out of its lane, helping to greatly reduce one of the largest causes of vehicle crashes.