Crash Detection

Ford has introduced an Automatic Crash Notification System for vehicles that are Bluetooth enabled and have smartphone integration. The system automatically notifies emergency services if an accident occurs that causes the airbags to deploy or shuts off the fuel pump. An introductory message is played to the operator and after this hands-free communication is initiated, emergency services can then use the cellular network to track your vehicle’s GPS position.

The ‘Golden Hour’ is crucial to emergency services. This is the window of time after an incident where medical intervention offers the highest chance of survival, so a prompt response can mean the difference between life and death. With the use of this technology accidents can be reported as soon as they occur, alerting emergency services even if the victim is unresponsive.

Lawrence Allan, Car Expert says: “Ford was one of the first to introduce this vital feature, but it’s become commonplace with other car brands in the last few years. It’s the best kind of safety tech for drivers: You may never know it’s there, but when it’s needed it could well save your life. “

Drowsiness Detection

Volvo has plans in place to introduce in-car cameras that assess the alertness of the driver by monitoring their eye-movements. This is part of their Safety Vision that aims to combat intoxicated and distracted driving. If the vehicle detects that the driver is distracted, it will issue warning signals. If the driver does not respond to those signals, the vehicle will then intervene. These interventions include limiting the vehicle’s speed, alerting the Volvo on Call assistance service and finally slowing the car to a stop and safely parking.

Blind Spot Camera System

Lots of modern cars have blind spot monitoring which flashes a light or emits an audio warning to alert you if you’re about to cross the path of a vehicle in your blind spot. But certain Hyundais and Kias will actually display a live camera feed of the area in your blind spot in the instrument display when you signal so you can see if the lane is clear.

Lawrence Allan: “Hyundai and Kia’s camera feed blind spot monitoring is brilliant. Some warning-based systems in other cars can be over-sensitive, but with this system the feed shown in your dials allows you to assess the hazard for yourself. It’s not distracting, either.”

Lane Assist

Lane assist is a safety feature that is designed to reduce the chance of accidents caused by drifting lanes. It uses a camera to detect where the road markings are in relation to your vehicle and if you begin to veer across lanes, it will flash up a warning on the dashboard. In some cases it will direct the car for you into the middle of the lane, which minimizes the risk of a crash occurring.

Anti-Collision Warning System

An anti-collision warning system uses radar sensors to determine the distance between yourself and the car in front. If the vehicle detects that you may be getting too close or the vehicle in front brakes harshly, it displays a warning and in some cases initiates the brakes. As the vehicle has a faster reaction time than any human it significantly reduces the severity of accidents and aims to help avoid them all together.

Remote Parking

A study conducted by Skoda UK in 2020 revealed that 11%, or 3.74 million, drivers have damaged their car whilst looking for somewhere to park. If you’re struggling to fit your large SUV into a compact parking space, some high-end models are now fitted with remote parking. For example, with the top-spec Kia Sorento, you can line your car up to the space, get out and remotely reverse into the space by holding a button on the key fob. You can do the same to drive it back out.

Andy Brady, Editor says: “Most parking spaces were designed for much smaller cars than we’re used to today. Many new cars come with an array of features to make parking easier, though – from simple parking sensors to a reversing camera; many will even reverse in or out of a parking space at the touch of a button.”

Dashboard Warning Lights

The warning lights that appear on your dashboard are all color-coded in terms of their severity, and indicate whether the car is safe to drive. For example, the blue headlamp is displayed when your lights are on full beam. Amber warning lights are more severe, they indicate that there is a fault that should be taken note of immediately. It’s likely that the vehicle will be safe to drive to the garage, however you should always seek professional advice first. Red warning lights are the most serious, this indicates that there is a serious fault with your vehicle that is putting both yourself and other road users at risk. You should pull over immediately, safely, and contact roadside assistance to resolve the issue.

Traffic Jam Assist

Many drivers are used to adaptive cruise control which speeds you up or slows you down on the motorway, depending on what the car in front is doing. But did you know this system also works in traffic? Many modern systems will actually work at low speeds and can bring you to a stop, only requiring you to brush the throttle to get it going again. It’s designed to help vehicles maintain a safe distance and stay within the speed limit, allowing the vehicle to warn the driver about a potential collision in time to react safely.

Lawrence Allan: “This feature is a godsend in the kind of snarled-up traffic queues you often see on UK roads. Although it only works on automatic cars, it helps to reduce stress by dealing with the constant stop-start motions for you. In the near future the UK government will pass legislation for some of the most advanced versions of this to allow hands-free driving in motorway traffic.”

Automatic Headlights

Sensors in the car detect the ambient light level and automatically switch the lights on automatically. If you’re constantly forgetting to turn off your full-beams the car can do it for you. Some vehicles are able to detect when a vehicle is approaching and adjust the headlights in order to not dazzle the oncoming traffic.

Tire Wear Bars And Pressure Alert

Many tires have wear bars that are positioned at 1.6mm within the grooves to show you when the tread is nearing the legal limit. Worn tires are particularly dangerous when wet; the braking distance can increase by up to 44%. This is due to the tread depth being unable to disperse water as efficiently, reducing the grip that your tires have on the road. Modern vehicles also have a feature that alerts you when your tires deflate below a certain level and need air. Not only does this help you maintain the tires and keep them safe – it also helps improve your fuel economy.

Andy Brady: “The tires are your car’s only contact point with the road. You can have all the safety systems in the world but, if your tires are worn or underinflated, it could be a disaster waiting to happen. Fortunately, while we’d encourage regular checking of your tires, there are systems on hand to ensure you don’t inadvertently drive on unroadworthy rubber. All new cars sold since 2014 must, by law, be fitted with a tire pressure monitoring system which’ll notify you when the pressure in a tire drops below a certain limit.”