7 latest advanced safety systems every car buyer should know

The automobile industry has a glorious history of over 135 years that involves a drastic evolution of all the aspects of a vehicle thanks to advanced engineering and in-depth research and development. One such aspect is car safety which has come a long way from seat belts and airbags to advanced systems like adaptive cruise control, fatigue assist, and many more.

Modern safety systems found in today's cars not only add to the safety of the occupants but also keep the people around the vehicle safe. Here is a list of 7 latest advanced safety systems every car buyer should know -

Adaptive Cruise Control 

It is an intelligent form of cruise control that automatically slows down and speeds up the vehicle to keep up with the car moving in front. Just like cruise control, first, the driver sets the maximum speed in the system, and then the radar sensor monitors traffic moving ahead. It keeps the car in a particular lane and instructs the vehicle to keep a few seconds behind the front car.

This latest advanced driver-assistance gear comes paired with a pre-crash system that often begins braking and alerts the driver in case of an emergency. 

Adaptive cruise control is also known as active cruise control, intelligent cruise control, autonomous cruise control, and radar cruise control.

Night Vision

This advanced feature helps us to see more clearly in dark lighting conditions. With the help of a forward-facing thermographic camera, the night vision tech keeps a watch on vehicles, animals, or pedestrians that are not easily detected by naked eyes in the dark. It displays the images of what’s ahead on the vehicle’s infotainment screen. Upon detection of an obstacle, it gives a distinct audible or visual alert to the driver.

Adaptive Headlights

Adaptive headlights are those headlights that actively adapt to changing road conditions. The halogen bulbs, newer LED or HID (high-intensity discharge) lights pivot according to the movement of the steering wheel or vehicle’s speed or we can say the headlights turn when the car turns. That way it helps drivers see hard-to-see obstacles in the dark lighting conditions on curved roads faster than standard headlights. 

This adaptive system is composed of articulating headlights, steering wheel sensors, and Speed and position sensors.

Other names for the Adaptive headlights are Adaptive front lighting system, cornering headlights, and rotating headlights

Safe Exit Assist

When the car is moving, the electronic child safety lock does not allow children in the rear to open doors on the go. But as soon as one stops the vehicle and most likely disengages the lock without making sure it is safe for the kids to come out. 

Here, the Safe Exit Assist comes into play. It prevents the kind of collisions that can happen when the doors of the car are opened while other vehicles are approaching from behind. It utilises radar tech to detect any fast-approaching vehicles and gives an alert before the driver disables the electronic child safety lock.

Driver Fatigue Assist

This system assesses the driver's driving style and detects indicators of fatigue, such as erratic driving or frequent lane changing. It then advises the driver to take a break by making an audible chime. Mated to the vehicle's navigation system, the system also locates a nearby rest stop or coffee shop and notifies the driver about it as further assistance.

Rear airbags

As a standard measure of safety, almost all affordable modern-day cars come equipped with six airbags, including 2 front, 2 front side, and 2 curtain. Although a few automakers like Toyota usually offer 7 airbags (driver's knee) in their cars. Well, the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class raises the bars with front airbags for the rear occupants. These airbags are mounted in the back of the front seat and use an innovative concept to inflate and position the air cushion to tackle the occupant's forward movement in a frontal collision.

360-degree camera system

Paired with the infotainment display, the 360-degree camera system allows the driver to monitor everything outside the vehicle. With the help of different cameras and sensors positioned all around the car, it captures multiple angles, including the front, back, left, and right sides. Thus, enables a convenient manoeuvre in congested areas, in busy traffic or while parking. The advanced camera also offers a top-down view of the vehicle.

These features are really worth considering if you are looking to buy your next car and safety is your top priority. 

Also read: Perodua Smart Driver Assist explained