Fatal traffic collisions are one of the leading causes of death among Americans, and the advancement of potentially distracting technology such as handheld communication devices, has made the roads even more dangerous, according to safety experts.
But advances in technology can also make driving safer for motorists. Automakers are continually improving safety technology in order to reduce the risks caused by human error, and software programmers are currently developing smart phone applications that can help drivers get to their destinations more safely and efficiently.
Lane assistance technology, for example, uses a camera to find the lines on the road and helps the driver stay within them either through an audio or steering wheel vibration warning, or, typically available on higher end vehicles, by actively guiding the vehicle using automated braking and steering adjustment.
Other safety technology systems monitor the driver’s deviation from his or her typical driving patterns to detect whether the driver is drowsy or inattentive, and automatic steering adjustment will kick in if the driver begins navigating the vehicle erratically.
Applications are available for smart phones that allow drivers to send and receive text messages using verbal commands and voice recognition software, while other software programs disable cell phone use entirely when the operator is inside of a moving vehicle.
As a San Diego car accident lawyer, I hope these innovations make the roads safer for everyone in the future. If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile collision, please consider contacting a personal injury attorney in San Diego.
Within the next ten to twenty years, some transportation experts speculate, vehicles will be able to communicate with one another to avoid accidents and traffic congestion. This automotive innovation may happen even sooner, if the federal government begins to mandate the development of the technology. Electronic features allowing vehicles to communicate their speed and location information to one another will make the roadways safer, experts advise.
Data provided by the Texas Transportation Institute suggests that the number of highway injuries and fatalities could be divided in half by reducing the number of rear-end collisions, which account for half of the 6 million accidents that occur in the United States. These communication devices would be equipped with short-range transmitters capable of transmitting signals that can notify vehicles of impending situations which the vehicle could take steps to avoid automatically.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is currently testing this technology on 3,000 vehicles in Michigan, this technology could potentially change the outcomes of four out of five or eighty percent of the traffic collisions in the United States.
As a San Bernardino personal injury attorney, I am hopeful that technological advances will make the roadways safer for all motorists in the future. If you or someone you care for has been involved in a car accident, please consider discussing your options with a San Bernardino car accident attorney.
Car technology continues to improve in a bid to keep motorists safe.
The 2013 Cadillac XTS, a full size sedan, will debut next month with a first of its kind safety feature: a safety seat. This technology has been designed to better alert the driver of a vehicle when an accident is about to occur.
Here’s how it works: when the vehicle senses that an accident is in the offing, the seat will vibrate much like a cell phone. But it goes a step farther than just simple vibration. If the threat is happening off to your right, then the seat will vibrate on your right side. When it appears that an accident is almost certain, then the entire seat will shake and the dashboard will blink at the driver.
After its debut on the XTS, the technology is scheduled to roll out on the company’s ATS and SRX vehicles later this year.
Eventually, drivers will be able to choose from two systems. The first is called Driver Awareness, which provides the vehicle operator with the aforementioned alerts. The second system, which is scheduled to come out in the fall, is called Driver Assist. If drivers choose to utilize a vehicle with this function, the car will take its own evasive action, such as braking or accelerating.
As a San Diego car accident lawyer, I can see that we’re living in a brave new world of car technology. I only hope as a personal injury lawyer in San Diego that such technology becomes pervasive enough for everyone to be able to benefit from it.
It’s easy to see that, with various technological innovations, automobiles are now safer than they’ve ever been. A number of complex systems are in place to ensure that your commute is worry-free, with the advent of computers making our lives on the road easier than ever.
But can the very systems we’ve developed to keep us safe actually turn out to be a hazard themselves? That’s what a new report suggests. Computers are now central to a car’s operation, and their importance will continue to increase as we push farther into the digital era. But just like your home PC, a car’s computer system isn’t invulnerable to a bug or a crash.
Also just like your home PC, an automobile’s computer is vulnerable to hackers. Researchers from the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego, recently showed that a vehicle’s computer could be hacked through physical contact or wirelessly via Bluetooth. Because we live in such a new frontier of vehicular design and car safety, cybersecurity has been given short shrift by automobile manufacturers because threats simply haven’t shown themselves yet.
As a Long Beach car accident attorney, I look forward to a new era of safety that can be brought about by the multitude of advances occurring right now in the automotive industry. But as we develop new and better ways to drive, it’s crucial to also pay attention to the many threats that can present themselves in time. As a car accident attorney in Long Beach, it’s plain to me that car security is about to get very interesting in the near future.
According to recent news articles, the giant automaker Ford is allegedly investing more than ever seen before in child car safety.
The company announced that the first digital human child models are being programmed to be used as an active part of their design to enhance young people’s safety while car travelling.
It isn’t news that the famed carmaker has received much praise for the safety of their vehicles, but now Ford wants to invest heavily in a safer environment for drivers and passengers of all ages.
The impact of crashes and minor accidents are different for younger passengers, there must be a different way of testing features for all age groups when designing a vehicle.
The announcement shows that restraint systems from the Ford vehicles are always developed to lower the probability of serious injuries and possible fatalities in the case of a collision.
According to Safety leaders inside Ford, these methods have proven to be quite effective.
As a Los Angeles car accident attorney, I hope that the company is successful in creating a truly proficient method of designing even safer cars for the younger passengers who are much more likely to suffer serious injuries in crashes.
Personal injury lawyers are especially familiar with accidents involving young children that could have been prevented if the vehicle at least had a safer structure.
General Motors has introduced two new safety methods that can be used in modern day cars, according to recent news sources. These are an alert system used in the event of a crash, which is camera based, while other system is an airbag that can inflate between front seats and protect the driver and the person sitting next to him or her.
The system that is for crash alert is supported with a camera that helps to track the proximity of a vehicle and also informs a driver with the help of a beep when he is at a risk while driving. There is a light on the dashboard that changes color to indicate different dangers. For example, an orange light indicates that the car is drifting while a red light shows that the car is tailgating.
This system has been launched in exhibitions and reportedly costs only $295. GM expects that many will purchase the system due to its affordability.
As a Los Angeles car accident lawyer, I’m glad to see that car manufacturers are making steps toward safer cars in regards to technology. As a personal injury lawyer, I know that these changes will help not only the drivers of the car with the features, but also the other drivers on the road, as well as pedestrians and cyclists.
