Technology hasn't become so advanced that cars drive themselves, but if you're willing to shell out some extra money, many of today's luxury vehicle manufacturers give you the option of purchasing an automobile with state-of-the-art electronics that will assist drivers in difficult conditions, give them more confidence behind the wheel, and even help them avoid an auto accident.
For about a $2,000 premium, you can now add features to your luxury car that will audibly notify you if you are drifting from your lane, or it may even stop you from leaving altogether. The goal of these devices is to keep you from colliding with a vehicle in your blind spot, backing up into something, tailing another vehicle too closely, and becoming too distracted from focusing on driving.
Volvo has a system in the works called City Safety that will direct the vehicle in typical city driving situations where stopping at numerous traffic lights is the norm. The auto industry is also developing a wireless technology that will be installed across all product lines called vehicle-to-vehicle communication to help prevent pileup accidents and other problems involving multiple vehicles. This will have the ability to warn drivers of traffic conditions ranging from hundreds of feet to even a quarter-mile ahead by utilizing data that is transferred from other vehicles sharing this technology.
Auto manufacturers are already able to meet government standards through a combination of collapsible metal and groups of airbags that work together to create a protective bubble during crashes. However, they are looking to go above and beyond typical safety requirements with this groundbreaking technology. Instead of simply protecting occupants during an accident, automakers hope these new systems will successfully prevent accidents from happening.
Types of warning systems
All luxury lines are now making these sophisticated safety systems an available option on certain vehicles. Here is a preview:
Blind Spot Information System (Volvo) -- can be added to any S80 and XC90 for $595 and will soon be accessible on the C30, V70, and XC70. This system utilizes an exterior camera to sense when a vehicle is entering your blind spot and warns the driver with an amber light that appears on the front left window pillar. This system fills in the void when checking your mirrors and glancing over your shoulder fail to paint the whole picture around you.
Disctronic Plus (Mercedes-Benz) -- available for an extra fee on select S-Class sedans and CL-Class coupes. It utilizes short and long-range radars to keep you at a reasonable distance from vehicles in front of you. If you appear to be narrowing the gap too quickly, the car tightens its safety belts and prepares the airbag for a potential crash. If you do not react, Disctronic Plus kicks in and applies up to 40 percent pressure on the brakes. Once the driver presses the brake, the system allows you to take over and brake as firmly as necessary. This feature comes at no extra cost on the CL-Class and S600, and for another $2,850, your S550 will come equipped with it too.
Lane Departure Prevention (Infiniti) -- will first appear on the 2008 EX SUV. This system stops the truck from drifting into an adjacent lane if the driver doesn't mean to; if a turn signal is not initiated and a camera realizes that the vehicle is crossing over a lane line, it will gently apply the brakes on the other side of the automobile to put it back on course.
Lane Departure Warning (BMW) -- comes stock on 5 Series sedans and 6 Series coupes. This system utilizes a camera to analyze the lines on the coming road. If the car drifts into another lane without the accompanying blinker, the steering wheel vibrates in a warning comparable to the rumble strips found on highways. Since many drivers often choose not to signal as they switch lanes, this system can be disengaged.
Mobileye -- an Israeli company that supplies car manufacturers such as BMW and General Motors with a number of the components that make up these safety systems. Mobileye also has its own Advanced Warning System-4000, which incorporates a camera attached to the windshield that tracks vehicles and road lines ahead of the car and signals if the area is too restricted with a sound. This aftermarket product costs anywhere from $1,400 to $1,800.
Pre-Collision System (Lexus) -- optional equipment on the LS 460 that comes paired with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control for $2,850. It uses millimeter-wave radar beamed from the front of the car to calculate when an accident is inescapable. Once the system verifies the harmful situation, it tenses the front seatbelts and puts some pressure on the brakes. If the driver quickly takes over, everything is back in their control assuming that the situation is now safe. In Japan, Lexus offers another premium feature in the LS 460 that monitors various features on the driver's face using a couple cameras placed inside the steering wheel. If the person's head begins to wander to one side or the other, a light flashes on the dashboard, and a beep can be heard. Next, the car braces itself for braking, and the shocks tighten.
1-877-MORGAN-LAW
Guided Case Review