technilogicaL advacments
overall upGrades
Today’s leading automakers are developing cars that park themselves, brake at the sign of danger and stay in lanes without driver assistance. What once only existed in the imaginations of science fiction writers is now being developed and tested by carmakers in laboratories and on roadways across the globe.Looking forward, cars may soon be “talking” to each other and to the roadway. Car-to-car information sharing can alert vehicles miles behind that cars ahead have come to a halt, warning drivers to prepare to slow down. “Smart” intersections will allow stop signs and traffic lights to communicate with vehicles, as sensors report if another vehicle is running a red light. Traffic lights could be synchronized to improve traffic flow — and fuel efficiency — and if there is only one vehicle sitting at a traffic light late at night, the light could be programmed to turn green.
Today, auto technology on sale allows cars to “see” all around, gathering data on possible roadway concerns and giving drivers eyes in the back of their heads. Since more than 90 percent of crashes involve driver error, automakers created a range of safety systems that aid drivers for brief periods to help avoid accidents. Driver assist systems include lane departure and blind spot warnings, adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, telematics control systems and more.
Today, auto technology on sale allows cars to “see” all around, gathering data on possible roadway concerns and giving drivers eyes in the back of their heads. Since more than 90 percent of crashes involve driver error, automakers created a range of safety systems that aid drivers for brief periods to help avoid accidents. Driver assist systems include lane departure and blind spot warnings, adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, telematics control systems and more.
*According to How stuff works*
the seat belt
A seat belt, also known as a safety belt, is a vehicle safety device designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result during a collision or a sudden stop. A seat belt functions to reduce the likelihood of death or serious injury in a traffic collision by reducing the force of secondary impacts with interior strike hazards, by keeping occupants positioned correctly for maximum effectiveness of the airbag (if equipped) and by preventing occupants being ejected from the vehicle in a crash or if the vehicle rolls over.
*According to Wikipedia*
the windshieLd wiper
In a visit to New York City in the winter of 1902, in a trolley car on a frosty day, she observed that the motorman drove with both panes of the double front window open because of difficulty keeping the windshield clear of falling sleet. When she returned to Alabama she hired a designer for a hand-operated device to keep a windshield clear and had a local company produce a working model. She applied for, and in 1903 was granted, a 17-year patent for a windshield wiper. Her device consisted of a lever inside the vehicle that controlled a rubber blade on the outside of the windshield. The lever could be operated to cause the spring-loaded arm to move back and forth across the windshield. A counterweight was used to ensure contact between the wiper and the window. Similar devices had been made earlier, but Anderson's was the first to be effective.
alternative fuels
An alternative fuel vehicle is a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than traditional petroleum fuels, and also refers to any technology of powering an engine that does not involve solely petroleum. Because of a combination of factors, such as environmental concerns, high oil prices and the potential for peak oil, development of cleaner alternative fuels and advanced power systems for vehicles has become a high priority for many governments and vehicle manufacturers around the world.
*According to Wikipedia*
videos
Many videos showing safety improvements in cars.