Canada Auto Information
Roll sensors augment stability control and determine if the vehicle is tipping upon two wheels. If an impending rollover is detected, stability control applies selective braking to suppress the roll motion. If that fails, curtain air bags are deployed and stay inflated for about six seconds to protect occupants from possible impact and to help [...]
These systems use infrared technology to allow a driver to see objects, animals, and people well beyond the reach of a car’s headlights. We’ve found them to be useful in some situations, but not ideal. New systems by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus might provide a greater range. In the past, we found these systems to [...]
Many accidents occur when a driver tries to change lanes without being aware that a vehicle is in a blind spot. Audi and Volvo currently have systems that use warning lights connected to cameras or radar on the outside mirrors to tell a driver when a vehicle is in or approaching a blind zone. Winnipeg [...]
This system senses when emergency braking is required by gauging how fast the pedal is depressed. When panic braking is detected, brake assist builds up boost to use the vehicle’s maximum braking capability even if the driver doesn’t push on the pedal hard enough, which might happen in some crash situations. Winnipeg Used Cars Furnasmans [...]
Cameras that detect the stripes between lanes can determine if a sleepy or inattentive driver has let the vehicle wander off its intended path. The driver is then alerted with a chime and warning light. We tested a system on the Infiniti M35x and found that the chime went off constantly on minor roads. Many [...]
In addition to maintaining a set speed on the highway, this system can automatically maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. It does this by using radar to monitor vehicles in front, and operates the brakes or throttle to slow or accelerate the car as needed. We tested adaptive cruise control in a few [...]
Currently found on a few vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and Lexus, these sense a collision before it happens and take action to warn the driver and maximize the safety of all the car’s occupants. It detects vehicles in front and can sound an alarm and display warning lights. The system then takes preventive steps such as [...]
Innovative advances will soon make driving safer than ever Electronic stability control (ESC), which selectively applies brakes to one or more wheels when a vehicle is about to slide out of control, is the most important safety advance since the safety belt. Recent studies have found that ESC could save as many as 10,000 lives [...]
