In mid-2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed a commitment from 20 of the nation’s leading auto manufacturers to include automatic braking technology on all new vehicles by 2022. The announcement demonstrates a commitment to making life-saving equipment standard.
Automatic Braking
One of the leading causes of accidents a Chicago auto accident lawyer handles is driver error. Often the accident occurs because the driver took his or her eyes off of the road for a split second, leaving little time to react to a potential collision. In other cases, road conditions change faster than a driver can reasonably react.
Automatic braking significantly reduces the potential for driver error. The system uses a series of cameras, lasers, and other sensors to warn drivers a crash may be imminent. If the driver fails to react in time, the system applies the brakes on its own. The government anticipates more than 28,000 fewer crashes and 12,000 fewer injuries that require a Chicago auto accident lawyer to seek compensation.
Mirrorless Cars
Automakers also unveiled plans to introduce mirrorless cars to the market in the near future. Side view mirrors create several problems for drivers, in both performance and safety. Mirrors generate drag, which reduces fuel efficiency, especially at highway speeds. Additionally, mirrors contribute to accidents with a limited field of view on the sides of the vehicle, which leave blind spots in the driver’s vision.
Mirrorless cars would replace the traditional side view mirror with a pair of small video cameras on either side of the vehicle. The cameras would display the video on screens on either side of the car’s interior. Automakers anticipate cameras will reduce the accidents a Chicago auto accident lawyer takes on by:
- Expanding the driver’s field of vision
- Eliminating blind spots on the sides of the car
- Automatically adjusting to changing light conditions
- Removing targets for parking collisions
Making mirrorless cars is a challenge for automakers because of existing automobile safety regulations. The new technology will require a reworking of the laws before the cameras can become standard equipment.
A Systematic Approach
All of the new safety technologies work together to form a new automated safety system for drivers. Automakers believe the inclusion of side view cameras will enhance automatic braking systems with a more comprehensive picture of the conditions around the car, while the automatic braking system adds a proactive feature to avoid potential accidents observed by the cameras.
