As our roads happen to busier, car manufacturers have turned their attention to safety. Here’s the relevant information on the high-tech available on some of the safest cars out there.
A wheel on each corner
Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) have been with us for some time now and do precisely as the name suggests. ABS allows a driver to brake fully, whilst steering at the same time without risking a brake lock-up and unavoidable skid. Electronic Stability Programmes (ESP) takes this a step further by detecting and dropping loss of traction. Both systems could make all the difference in an emergency and might alone be the difference between life and death.
Car that has this: The latest Ford Focus offers both as standard.
The perils of a flat tyre
A more current advancement is the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). A car with defective or uneven tyre pressure is unsafe and the worst case scenario is a flat tyre which might cause the driver to lose control. Of course, we must all check our tyre pressures regularly but TPMS takes it a step or two further, immediately warning the driver of a loss of pressure via the instrument pinnacle. It’s not fail-safe but it could make all the difference.
Car that has this: The award winning Audi A6 can be specified with TPMS.
Safe in the back seat
ISOFIX is the general name given to the mounting points for child safety seats. Any parent who has ever battled with the child seat / seat belt arrangement will be grateful for the value of a simple click-in system. It’s based on an industry standard (ISO) and is a everlasting fixture in all new cars. It’s so simple that it is the work of a moment to secure in the certain knowledge that your child is secure.
Car that has this: Most cars come with ISOFIX but family friendly SUV’s like the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso can have as many as three fixing points.
Airbag – the one you never want to see
Initially there was the driver airbag and then the front seat passenger got one. Today, cars can have quite a few of the instantly inflatable life-savers purposefully placed around the cabin. Basically, the more airbags the better, ready to jump into action in an instant and that’s the one thing we never want to see.
Car that has this: The Volvo V40 even has an external airbag to guard pedestrians in the case of impact.
Safer vision
Amazing though it may seem, more and more people fail to remember to turn their lights on when it gets dark. Likewise, they will choose to stare through rain-splattered glass and forget to reach for the wiper stalk. That’s a thing of the past now because, once set up, the car will do it for you. Rain sensors will trigger auto-wipers and automatic lights will connect as the light fades or, say, in tunnels.
Car that has this: Many cars offer this feature including the admirable Audi A4 saloon.
Bluetooth
Once the preserve of the wealthy car owner Bluetooth has now trickled down to many mainstream cars as a standard feature. Put simply, it is a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances meaning there is no longer any need to handle a mobile device (which is illegal anyhow). You can buy separate units cheaply but a built-in system is likely to be more trustworthy.
Car that has this: A popular option or a standard feature, it is included on Vauxhall’s executive Insignia model.
What does the future hold?
For the most part, the newest technology appears first on luxury cars and as it becomes more economically viable it increasingly finds its way onto the mainstream cars that most of us purchase. The good news is that safety systems keep on coming so in the not too distant future we can be expecting to see more, hopefully as standard. Here are just some of the devices appearing now:
Adaptive cruise control which keeps a safe distance to car in front. The Blind spot warning warns when a car is in your blind spot. Volvo’s are increasingly being offered with an outstanding system as an option.
City Safe Brake detects unforeseen objects and brakes car. Whilst Adaptive headlights ‘bend’ full beam around other cars avoiding glare in on-coming drivers face. Driver monitoring ensures that a driver is alert and even recommends a break and the new Pre-crash systems deploy sensors that can detect an impact, tighten seatbelts, close windows and even applies the brakes to minimise occupant injury.
Take a look at our vehicles at www.greenappleleasing.co.uk
