Car Safety

General Motors is testing several prototypes from its Cadillac range equipped with electronic monitoring systems that look out for surrounding vehicles and can apply the brakes autonomously to prevent a rear-end collision. GM demonstrated the technology using its CTS and STS sedans at the recent...

A university research team has found that antilock brakes and airbags don’t actually reduce accidents or injuries, because motorists are prone to drive more aggressively thinking they are safe in their vehicles. The findings come from a Purdue University study of vehicle accidents in...

Made famous by television shows featuring footage caught on squad car’s onboard video camera, personal vehicle cameras may become a common feature in many cars. Fujitsu Ten is set to release its DREC1000 drive recorder that's aimed at the general public. The original version was developed for...

The final variation of the new S-class has been announced with news that Mercedes has developed an armoured special-protection model. Labelled the Mercedes S600 Guard, the new car has had its protective elements fully integrated into the vehicle direct from the Sindelfingen plant in Germany...

Siemens VDO has developed a Traffic Sign Recognition system that’s set up to alert drivers if they’re driving too fast. A camera is installed that constantly monitors the road ahead and can recognize speed limits on traffic signs. Information is then relayed to the driver, warning them...

According to Bosch, 25 percent of all accidents are caused by skidding and that 60 percent of all fatal injuries occur because of side-impact crashes caused mainly by skidding. In an attempt to prevent situations like this, Bosch has improved its ESP systems, creating two new packages in the...

It’s been proven that cars with airbags are much safer in the event of a crash than those without. Now it appears that the number of fatalities of people driving SUVs involved in a side-impact collision has dropped over 50 percent for those vehicles equipped with curtain airbags. This style...

European motorists may be able to say goodbye to speed cameras forever. A case is currently being heard at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg surrounding the prosecution of two British motorists charged in separate events for speeding, by a fixed speed camera. To be able to charge...

In 1971 Mercedes Benz patented the airbag, a system it had been developing for over five years. Mercedes has started development at the behest of the authorities that demanded a better safety system than just the seat belt. One of the reasons Mercedes decided to develop the airbag was that it would...

One of the biggest drawbacks with speeding cameras is that you’re usually caught, get the fine a week later in the mail, and rarely learn your lesson. Studies have shown that drivers are more likely to curb their speeding if they’re shown a sign with their speed, and their number plate...

Ford has jumped the gun on a potential mandate requiring stability control on all cars by announcing that all models by the end of 2009 will come with life-saving feature as standard. Stability control systems greatly reduce the risk of rollover in any vehicle with a high center of gravity, such as...

US officials are expected to announce a proposal that would require all vehicles to be fitted with stability control systems that could greatly reduce the change of rollovers and single-car crashes. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, over 10,000 lives a year could be saved by...

A new hands-free, voice activated system will allow drivers to send and receive emails and gather online information via a handheld device or Smartphone. The company that created iLane, Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (IMS), will launch the product at this years IFA consumer electronics trade...

Seatbelts have remained almost the same three-point style for over 30 years, even though almost every other type of car safety technology has improved since. Despite the raft of high-tech features such as ESP, air-bags, and pre-crash systems installed on high-end cars, “the single most...

The new bumpers use radar to detect a possible rear crash and can position the headrests to help reduce injury from whiplash. The system also sets off hazard lights to warn the driver about a possible crash. The first car to be equipped with rear crash detection will be the top of the line Lexus...

Mazda plans to recall all 2004, 2005, and most of its 2006 model RX-8s due to an issue in the design of its rotary engine. Problems due to excessive heat have been prevalent amongst many RX-8 buyers, and this latest recall will only add insult to injury. According to the source, many owners may be...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has passed a new rule that requires auto manufacturers to inform customers whether their car has an Event Data Recorder installed. The EDR, which works similarly to Black Box flight recorders found in airlines, will record details about vehicle...

In an effort to prevent drivers from speeding, BMW has created a new video camera based system that can read oncoming speed limit signs well before they’re in view of the driver. The device then conveys the information to the driver via a heads up display. The video camera, which is mounted...

Although it seems obvious that you’re more likely to be involved in an accident if you’re attempting to eat or drink while driving, we now have test figures that show you’re chance of crashing is actually double that of normal driving. This is usually because of slower reaction...

Bugatti’s million euro Veyron may soon be a thing of the past for US buyers if strict new laws regarding child-safe airbags are implemented. The US is Bugatti’s largest market and the French automaker cannot afford to lose these sales. To accommodate the new rules, the cost of the car...