It used to be that only the most expensive luxury cars had high-tech safety features. Meanwhile, reasonable family vehicles and inexpensive compacts coped with the basics.
However, that’s all changed. Drivers have been asking for safer cars and the price of technology keeps going down. Car buyers can now choose from features that can lower the number of accidents on our roads - cutting injuries and fatalities.
With all the safety features now available on cars, what should you be looking for for when looking around? Here are five safety features you'll want to look for when shopping for your next car.
Pre-collision systems
A pre-collision system kicks in when a car thinks a crash is likely. Generally, there are two parts to this. One alerts the driver to a potential crash, while the other helps mitigate potential damage.
As part of the warning system, the driver can be alerted if traffic suddenly slows down or stops ahead. They might not notice or be slow to react to a major change in speed, and so this is where the system can help.
The alert is usually a combination of both a chime and a visible message on the dashboard or windshield. Some cars even have pedestrian detection, which can help alert drivers to a jaywalker darting out from behind a parked vehicle.
If the driver doesn’t react, the system can help by applying the brakes to cut the speed. The technology doesn't do all the work, but they can kick in while the human behind the wheel thinks about what’s happening ahead.
Adaptive cruise control
This feature is like simple cruise control, but on steroids. Not only can this make a vehicle safer, it can also make things easier for hardcore commuters.
Adaptive cruise control uses radar to keep a vehicle at a safe speed, even when traffic changes.
For example, if you have the cruise set at 120 km/h and a car going 100 km/h cuts you off, the system will automatically slow your vehicle down to the appropriate speed. And then when that car in front leaves the lane, your car will automatically accelerate again.
Lane departure systems
Driver fatigue can play a big factor in accidents, particularly on long drives. It only takes a moment on a boring highway drive for a driver to drift to sleep -- and cross the solid line.
Lane departure systems alert the driver if their car starts getting too close to the next lane – and even if it crosses the line.
The alerts are usually audible with a chime or simulated road noise. Some cars will also have a physical alert, such as a rumbling steering wheel or seat, depending on the direction they’re drifting.
Another benefit is that the driver will be less likely to change lanes without signalling -- otherwise they’ll get an earful from the car’s safety systems.
Some advanced systems will even help drivers stay in their lane by gently turning the steering wheel left or right.
Automatic high beams
Sure, this sounds like a feature for lazy or arrogant drivers who can’t be bothered to dim their high beams for other cars.
However, night driving comes with other risks the person behind the wheel needs to cope with. We're talking about unfamiliar roads, potential wildlife and sleepiness.
Just as the name implies, a vehicle’s high beams will automatically turn on when it’s dark outside and no other traffic is around. If sensors detect a bright light source approaching the car, such as oncoming traffic, the system will return the lights to normal. Lighting will also be dimmed if the driver catches up to slower traffic.
Not only does this take a load off the driver, other motorists will have better visibility of the traffic around them.
Rear cross-traffic alerts
Back-up sensors and cameras have been around for a while, helping drivers squeeze into tight parking spaces.
But when it comes to backing out of a parking spot, these systems fall short. There wasn’t a way to alert drivers if a kid popped out of nowhere, or if a car zipped through a parking lot.
Rear traffic systems use radar to detect moving objects several metres away. With a sensor hidden in the rear bumper, this technology alerts drivers of traffic they otherwise wouldn’t see until it’s too late.
As well as warning the driver, these systems can gently apply the brakes or switch on a car’s four-way flashers to alert other motorists and pedestrians.
What's best?
While each of these features can help make things safer for drivers and their passengers, car shoppers should pick the features they think will benefit them the most.
For example, adaptive cruise control probably wouldn’t help a city driver. But the rear cross-traffic system would help them a lot.
Fortunately, many automakers group features together in safety packages so customers don't have to pick and choose. Toyota, for example, bundles several features in its Toyota Safety Sense packages.
The names of the packages and even the terminology used to describe the features can change from brand to brand, so be sure to try out the features on your test drive to find out what suits you best.
