The development of safe cars involves years of innovation, research, and technological advancements, aimed at saving lives and reducing injuries on the road. From traditional seat belts to ADAS, vehicles now offer a variety of defense mechanisms to both avoid a crash and protect their occupants in the event of one.
Early Days: Seat Belts and Crumple Zones
Automotive safety was a journey that began in the middle of the 20th century. The three-point seat belt, invented by Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin in nineteen fifty nine, is now regarded as one of the most important car safety inventions ever. By 1959 Volvo had made the use of the feature standard on its vehicles, and eventually, governments across the world required people to wear seat belts based on undeniable proof of a decrease in fatalities.
Another early development was the creation of the crumple zone by Mercedes-Benz in 1959. Crumple zones are capable of crushing in a controlled manner to absorb the energy of an obstacle in the event of an accident, thereby helping to reduce the force felt by the passengers. It was based on these first passive safety features that later developments could be built.
The Emergence and Widespread Use of Airbags and Anti-lock Brakes
The 1970s and 1980s introduced airbags and anti-lock brake (ABS) systems. Airbags, which made their breakthrough in high-end American cars in the early ’70s, offered valuable protection in frontal crashes. In the ensuing decades, airbags would be upgraded and extended to protect from various angles, such as with side, curtain, and knee airbags.
ABS (first used in airplanes) emerged as a standard safety feature in cars by the 1980s. ABS prevents wheel lockup during heavy braking, enabling steerability and shorter stopping distances on slippery surfaces. This became today’s electronic stability control (ESC), which automatically detects and controls loss of traction.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
Safety features got smarter from the late 1990s through the 2000s. ADAS systems, which include lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot monitoring, were added to prevent accidents in the first place. These systems use sensors, cameras, and radar to identify risk and alert the driver, or they will even take corrective action.
Among the most significant advancements is automatic emergency braking (AEB). AEB systems sense an impending crash and automatically apply the brakes if the driver does not respond in time, resulting in a dramatic reduction of rear-end crashes and pedestrian crashes.
Connected Safety and Vehicle to Everything (V2X)
Connected car. The 2010s introduced connected car technology. Today’s vehicles now talk to one another and the roadside over V2V and V2X links. Such systems let cars send and receive real-time information about traffic conditions, road hazards, and sudden braking, and allow drivers and vehicle computers to react to dangers down the road before they appear.
For instance, when a car ahead slams on its brakes or steers to avoid debris, that information can be beamed to neighboring connected cars well before the hazard emerges in the driver’s field of view. This system of communicating is leading the way for smarter, safer roads.
Towards Autonomous Safety
The cars of today are gradually being automated. Semi-autonomous systems, such as Tesla’s Autopilot, GM’s Super Cruise, and Ford’s Blue Cruise, can drive on the highway in certain situations. The systems integrate adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and automated lane changes in an effort to ease driver workload and improve safety.
Fully autonomous self-driving vehicles, which are still being developed and tested, have promised to eliminate human error, the leading cause of traffic accidents, completely. And while there are plenty of regulatory and ethical hurdles to leap for now, that future looks like a world in which crashes are all but a thing of the past.
- The Evolution of Safety Features in Modern Cars
- These Best Cars for Adventure Seekers Will Make You Ditch City Life Forever!
- Top Family Cars That Offer Great Value for Money
- Why Flying Cars Could Be Closer Than We Think
- Tata Tiago EV vs MG Comet EV: Budget EV Battle Gets Heated – Which One Wins?
Conclusion
Safety features in cars have evolved such that instead of just being a vessel to get everyone from A to B, vehicles are now a protective cocoon. From simple seat belts and crumple zones, through airbags, ABS, and ESC, and now with ADAS and connected technologies, each step has gotten us closer to the goal of preventing road death.
And the development of artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, and connected roads could eventually revolutionize the safety of our roads. What started as mechanical safety aids has now become smart systems and has made our roads the safest they’ve ever been.