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Motor Authority - blog Tag: Safety

  • Video: Volvo Demonstrates Pedestrian Avoidance System On 2010 S60

    Video: Volvo Demonstrates Pedestrian Avoidance System On 2010 S60 October 26th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 26th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 1 Comment

    Video: Volvo Demonstrates Pedestrian Avoidance System On 2010 S60

    Keeping drivers and pedestrians safe behind the wheel, once little more than an afterthought, has become a major focus of the automotive industry and governmental regulation in recent years. To help reach new heights of safety, engineers are applying the computers and advanced technology in ways that might have seemed fictional just a few years ago. Volvo's new collision avoidance system, called Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection, is due to debut on the 2010 S60, and is a prime example.

    Designed around the idea of preventing collisions with pedestrians, the Volvo system recognizes people near the car and brakes...

    Keeping drivers and pedestrians safe behind the wheel, once little more than an afterthought, has become a major focus of the automotive industry and governmental regulation in recent years. To help reach new heights of safety, engineers are applying the computers and advanced technology in ways that might have seemed fictional just a few years ago. Volvo's new collision avoidance system, called Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection, is due to debut on the 2010 S60, and is a prime example. Designed around the idea of preventing collisions with pedestrians, the Volvo system recognizes people near the car and brakes appropriately to avoid coming into contact with them. But it's far from a "dumb" system--it tracks and anticipates the paths of pedestrians, and reacts accordingly. Volvo says it can completely avoid any collision below 15 mph. That's a pretty important advancement. While cars like Mercedes-Benz's S-Class and BMW's 7-series have had infrared pedestrian detection and warning systems for some time now, they haven't yet ventured into the realm of active collision avoidance. This isn't something that could be used to completely eliminate crashes on the interstate or for other fast-moving traffic, but it can serve to mitigate the effects of such crashes by slowing the car before impact. The system is demonstrated, and explained, in the video below, as applied on the streets of Copenhagen behind the wheel of a prototype S60. The end goal of Volvo's ongoing work in this field is to build a car that cannot crash. Minority Report here we come. The 2010 Volvo S60 isn't due for release until next year, though the car's concept form is expected to very closely predict the production car's design. [Volvo] Read More

  • SARTRE Initiative Working On Self-Driving Cars

    SARTRE Initiative Working On Self-Driving Cars October 22nd, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 22nd, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 0 Comments

    SARTRE Initiative Working On Self-Driving Cars

    A new government-backed initiative in Europe called SARTRE (SAfe Road TRains for the Environment) is being launched to develop and test technology for vehicles that can drive themselves in long road trains on highways. The technology has the potential to improve traffic flow and journey times, offer greater comfort to drivers, reduce accidents, and improve fuel consumption and hence lower CO2 emissions.

    Just imagine leaving home in the morning and, just after joining the motorway, meeting up with a number of other cars which inch up to each other, travelling at normal speed in a close-formation convoy. After a few minutes you can let go of...

    A new government-backed initiative in Europe called SARTRE (SAfe Road TRains for the Environment) is being launched to develop and test technology for vehicles that can drive themselves in long road trains on highways. The technology has the potential to improve traffic flow and journey times, offer greater comfort to drivers, reduce accidents, and improve fuel consumption and hence lower CO2 emissions. Just imagine leaving home in the morning and, just after joining the motorway, meeting up with a number of other cars which inch up to each other, travelling at normal speed in a close-formation convoy. After a few minutes you can let go of the steering wheel and spend your time reading the morning paper, talking on the phone or watching the TV, while your car drives itself in complete safety and also saving fuel. This is the vision that proponents of SARTRE, which includes automakers like Volvo, are hoping for. Current estimates put a retail launch for self-driving cars at least ten years away. Known as autonomous driving, this technology means that the vehicle is able to take control over acceleration, braking and steering, and can be used as part of a road train of similarly controlled vehicles.  The first test cars equipped with this technology will roll on test tracks as early as 2011. The vehicles will be equipped with a navigation system and a transmitter/receiver unit that communicates with a lead vehicle. Since the system is built into the cars, there’s no need to extend the infrastructure along the existing road network. The idea is that each road train or platoon will have a lead vehicle that drives exactly as normal, with full control of all the various functions. This lead vehicle is driven by an experienced driver who is thoroughly familiar with the route. For instance, the lead may be taken by a taxi, a bus or a truck. Each such road train will consist of six to eight vehicles. A driver approaching his destination takes over control of his own vehicle, leaves the convoy by exiting off to the side and then continues on his own to his destination. The other vehicles in the road train close the gap and continue on their way until the convoy splits up. The advantage of such road trains is that all the other drivers in the convoy have time to get on with other business while on the road, for instance when driving to or from work. The road trains increase safety and reduce environmental impact thanks to lower fuel consumption compared with cars being driven individually. The reason is that the cars in the train are close to each other, exploiting the resultant lower air drag. The energy saving is expected to be in the region of 20%. Road capacity will also be able to be utilized more efficiently.   Researchers see road trains primarily as a major benefit to commuters who cover long distances by highways every day, but they will also be of potential benefit to trucks, buses, coaches vans and other commercial vehicle types. As the participants meet, each vehicle's navigation system is used to join the convoy, where the autonomous driving program then takes over. As the road train approaches its final destination, the various participants can each disconnect from the convoy and continue to drive as usual to their individual destinations. The SARTRE project formally started in September this year and will run for a total of three years. Read More

  • Aston Martin Driving Course Now Open To All

    Aston Martin Driving Course Now Open To All October 8th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 8th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 0 Comments

    Aston Martin Driving Course Now Open To All

    The Aston Martin Performance Driving Course is about two things--helping you understand the capability of your car in a safe and controlled environment and making you a safer, better driver. However, until now the course has been the domain of Aston Martin owners only.

    Located at the Michigan Proving Ground in North America in Romeo (there are courses available in the UK and Belgium as well), the course has been up and running for the past four years. Now, for a fee of $2,500, anyone can enrol for the day-long course and drive any model from the current lineup.

    Furthermore, Aston Martin has also hired a performance driving administrator to...

    The Aston Martin Performance Driving Course is about two things--helping you understand the capability of your car in a safe and controlled environment and making you a safer, better driver. However, until now the course has been the domain of Aston Martin owners only. Located at the Michigan Proving Ground in North America in Romeo (there are courses available in the UK and Belgium as well), the course has been up and running for the past four years. Now, for a fee of $2,500, anyone can enrol for the day-long course and drive any model from the current lineup. Furthermore, Aston Martin has also hired a performance driving administrator to assist people attending the course. Unlike similar driving programs offered by automakers, Aston Martin provides one-on-one instruction with world-class drivers for the entire length of the course. During the day, a blend of theory and hands-on practice allow participants to drive in a number of different environments where they can experience safe high speed driving on tracks specifically designed for this purpose, car dynamics on handling and hill routes, and straight line power delivery and braking on the straights. Aston Martin is hoping that by allowing anyone to enrol in the course, more and more people will be able to discover the brand and then tell their friends about it. If it remains successful, the automaker will launch a second course in a more southern location for the winter months. [The Detroit News] Read More

  • Study Finds Convertibles May Be Harmful To Your Hearing

    Study Finds Convertibles May Be Harmful To Your Hearing October 7th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 7th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 5 Comments

    Study Finds Convertibles May Be Harmful To Your Hearing

    Convertibles may be slower than their hardtop cousins, not as safe, and less practical, but when you go for a cruise with the top down on those perfect late summer afternoons, all those little annoyances are immediately forgotten. Unfortunately, a new study has found another reason to in favor of the hardtop.

    The study, which was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation in San Diego this week, has found that riding in a convertible with the windows down appears to expose people to noise levels that can damage hearing over time.

    British ear, nose and throat surgeon, Dr. Philip...

    Convertibles may be slower than their hardtop cousins, not as safe, and less practical, but when you go for a cruise with the top down on those perfect late summer afternoons, all those little annoyances are immediately forgotten. Unfortunately, a new study has found another reason to in favor of the hardtop. The study, which was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation in San Diego this week, has found that riding in a convertible with the windows down appears to expose people to noise levels that can damage hearing over time. British ear, nose and throat surgeon, Dr. Philip Michael, himself a convertible fan, tested noise levels in seven different cars traveling at speeds of 50, 60 and 70 mph. Noise levels average around the 88-90 decibel mark, which is 4-5 decibels above the save level of noise range. Slowing down won’t work either as much of the problematic noise comes from surrounding traffic, the engine and exhaust, and the tires from other cars and trucks on the road. Convertible owners shouldn’t worry too much, however. Winding up the windows reduces noise levels to 85 decibels. "A large component of the noise you are exposed to is wind noise," Michael explained. [Los Angeles Times] Read More

  • Official Warning Issued To Toyota And Lexus Owners To Pull Floor Mats Immediately

    Official Warning Issued To Toyota And Lexus Owners To Pull Floor Mats Immediately September 30th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson Nelson Ireson, Author, September 30th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 10 Comments

    Official Warning Issued To Toyota And Lexus Owners To Pull Floor Mats Immediately

    UPDATE: Toyota spokesperson Wade Hoyt said on Wednesday, September 30: Despite widespread reporting to the contrary, this is not yet a recall, but a safety advisory to owners of affected models. Our engineers are working with the NHTSA on a potential fix beyond the retention hooks that are already in the vehicles.

    A company statement added: Toyota considers this a critical matter and will soon launch a safety campaign on specific Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Throughout the process of developing the details of the action plan, it will advise the NHTSA. Until Toyota develops a remedy, it is asking owners of specific Toyota and Lexus models to...

    UPDATE: Toyota spokesperson Wade Hoyt said on Wednesday, September 30: Despite widespread reporting to the contrary, this is not yet a recall, but a safety advisory to owners of affected models. Our engineers are working with the NHTSA on a potential fix beyond the retention hooks that are already in the vehicles. A company statement added: Toyota considers this a critical matter and will soon launch a safety campaign on specific Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Throughout the process of developing the details of the action plan, it will advise the NHTSA. Until Toyota develops a remedy, it is asking owners of specific Toyota and Lexus models to take out any removable driver’s floor mat and NOT replace it with any other floor mat. ORIGINAL: We've all likely dealt with a floor mat that doesn't want to stay put at one time or another, but few pose a serious danger to occupants. That's apparently not the case with a range of Toyota and Lexus floor mats, however, as the Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a warning to owners of affected vehicles to immediately remove their driver's-side floor mats and not replace them due to a possible interference with the accelerator pedal. Toyota is expected to issue a large-scale recall later today. The Lexus vehicles affected include the 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350 and the 2006-2010 Lexus IS 250 and 350. Other Toyota vehicles within the scope of the warning include: the 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, and the 2007-2010 Tundra, according to an AP report. As many as 3.8 million vehicles may be affected. The floor mat issue appears to have been fairly long-standing for Toyota, with a previous recall of floor mats that could trap the gas pedal in 2007. A fatal crash involving a family of four in a 2009 Lexus ES 350 last month near Los Angeles is believed to have been the impetus for the latest recall. As Toyota put it in its official statement, "Recent events have prompted Toyota to take a closer look at the potential for an accelerator pedal to get stuck in the full open position due to an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.  A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death." It's not clear if the floor mats now at issue are the same or similar to those recalled in 2007, but the latest warning from the DOT overlaps the models recalled in 2007, which covered 2007 and 2008 model-year Lexus ES 350s and Toyota Camrys. Toyota advises the following course of action if you think your car may have the problem: Should the vehicle continue to accelerate rapidly after releasing the accelerator pedal, this could be an indication of floor mat interference.  If this occurs, Toyota recommends the driver take the following actions: First, if it is possible and safe to do so, pull back the floor mat and dislodge it from the accelerator pedal; then pull over and stop the vehicle. If the floor mat cannot be dislodged, then firmly and steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet. Do NOT pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle. Shift the transmission gear selector to the Neutral (N) position and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine. If unable to put the vehicle in Neutral, turn the engine OFF, or to ACC. This will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost. -If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine. Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button. -If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key-ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel. In the event owners choose not to remove their floor mat, Toyota strongly recommends that they ensure that the correct floor mat is being used, that it is properly installed and secured, that it is not flipped over with bottom-side up, and that one floor mat is not stacked over another. Information on proper floor mat installation can be found on http://www.toyota.com. Owners with questions or concerns, are asked to please contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center (1 800 331-4331) or consult the information posted at http://www.toyota.com For more on this story, check out John Voelcker's article on the recall at TheCarConnection. Read More

  • 2010 Buick LaCrosse Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick

    2010 Buick LaCrosse Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick September 24th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, September 24th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 0 Comments

    2010 Buick LaCrosse Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick

    Ever since our first drive of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, we've been impressed with the car's quality and value, and today's award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) of a Top Safety Pick to the car therefore comes as no surprise. Buick has built a very solid mid-luxury sedan this time around, and the tests are beginning to show it.

    To get a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS, a car must score top marks of "good" in front, side and rear impact tests and feature standard electronic stability control. The 2010 LaCrosse aced the list, beating the 2009 Lexus ES 350 which rated "good" in frontal and side impact tests, but only...

    Ever since our first drive of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, we've been impressed with the car's quality and value, and today's award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) of a Top Safety Pick to the car therefore comes as no surprise. Buick has built a very solid mid-luxury sedan this time around, and the tests are beginning to show it. To get a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS, a car must score top marks of "good" in front, side and rear impact tests and feature standard electronic stability control. The 2010 LaCrosse aced the list, beating the 2009 Lexus ES 350 which rated "good" in frontal and side impact tests, but only "marginal" in rear-impact testing. The 2010 Lexus ES 350 hasn't been rated yet. The 2009 Infiniti G37 rated exactly the same as the Lexus. Volvo's S60 earned "good" ratings in front and rear impact, but only scored "acceptable" in side impact. The 2010 Lincoln MKZ, on the other hand, has also earned a Top Safety Pick, putting it and the 2010 LaCrosse in the company of the Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, Saab 9-3 and Acura TSX and TL in the IIHS's mid-size luxury/near luxury category. For more on the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, check our out full specs and review page. Read More

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