In a market where airbags have reached near-saturation and all vehicles have seat belts as standard, safety suppliers are looking beyond the realm of passive safety. There is a clear shift in the European market towards active safety. Vehicles are becoming aware of the environment they are in and can act to mitigate or prevent accidents. This can be done by means of supplying the driver with information on road conditions, warning the driver concerning road hazards or even through active driver assistance. This article will explain the diverse technologies that are on the European market and what OEMs and suppliers are considering for the short to medium term.
Electronic Stability Programs (ESP) are
designed to prevent the driving wheels of
a vehicle from skidding/losing grip on the
road surface (and consequently causing
under/oversteer) by either reducing engine
power or by applying the brakes to the
appropriate wheels. Most premium
brands in Europe offer ESP as standard,
while various medium/lower-segment
vehicles offer it optionally. With Euro
NCAP (European New Car Assessment
Programme) recommending ESP and the
European Commission expressing its
intention to mandate installation from
2011, fitment rates are set to increase
across all segments.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) represents an advancement of the traditional cruise control found in many of today's cars. ACC can keep a fixed distance between the vehicle in front by adjusting the speed in sequence with that vehicle. This can be done by means of a radar/laser sensor measuring the distance constantly and adjusting the speed relative to the vehicle in front. When the vehicle moves out of the way, the ACC system will return the vehicle to the pre-set speed.
Brake assist, designed to help drivers in an emergency, has two main solutions. One is a sensor-based system that applies more braking pressure during an emergency situation. The rationale behind this is that most drivers do not apply enough pressure to reach maximum deceleration during emergency braking. These systems are already on the market and are relatively cost-effective. More advanced brake-assist systems are radarbased systems that detect when an accident is imminent and slow down the vehicle in order to reduce the effects of the collision. These systems can already be seen in the luxury segment. However, as technologies mature and economies of scale come into play, this solution is expected to slowly trickle down into the lower vehicle segments.
Lane departure warning
systems monitor the road and
warn the driver when they unintentionally
depart from the lane the
vehicle is in. Numerous systems use
video cameras to monitor the road. A
warning can be given to the driver when
departing from the lane by means of
steering wheel or seat vibration. Visual
and audible alerts are also possible.
A mild form of steering assist is under
consideration by some suppliers to keep
the vehicle in its lane.
With some systems already on the market, blind-spot detection systems are set to increase, particularly in the upper vehicle segments. This kind of system uses small cameras installed in the exterior mirrors that monitor the side and rear of the vehicle. As soon as the driver turns on the indicator (left/right), the corresponding camera goes into action. Whenever the image processing system for the camera registers an object in the driver's blind spot, a warning will light up either in the mirror or next to the mirror. There are also blind-spot detection systems that apply radar or infrared technology instead of cameras.
Another feature is night vision. Such systems are applied by a number of premium vehicle manufacturers and usually use infra-red technology to offer extra safety when vision conditions are poor (e.g., fog or night driving). By using a thermal-imaging camera the system can detect pedestrians or animals on the road before the human eye can see them. Most systems display the image on a centre-mounted screen on the instrument panel. As the technology matures we might see nightvision systems incorporated into a head-up-display (HUD) whereby the image is imposed onto the windscreen in the future. Second generation night vision systems will have object detection/recognition. Such systems can distinguish for example between a cardboard box and an animal on the road and warn the driver accordingly.
Car-to-car communication is an avenue suppliers and OEMs are exploring to inform/assist drivers and prevent accidents. Such systems could use Wi-Fi and GPS technology to share information on road conditions, accidents, etc. between cars. Although it is a promising technology, implementation costs would have to come down to succeed in the market place.
Smartweb, a mobile information system
that interacts with drivers in natural
language, is another possible development
to assist the driver and enable safer
driving. Drivers can not only ask queries to
the system, but such a system could also
relay information such as weather forecasts
and road safety warnings to the
driver. This can be either through visual or
acoustical signals. The system is based
on software that generates voice applications
from Internet information that is
transmitted via radio signals.
Finally, driver monitoring systems are considered. Such systems detect drowsiness and fatigue by monitoring driver's facial features, steering input and eye closures, and warn when driver attention is diminished.
Many of the passive safety companies have invested in active safety technologies. Divergence in this area offers suppliers an opportunity to add value and content to vehicles and therefore scope for larger profit margins. For OEMs and legislators it offers an opportunity to reduce accidents and fatalities on European roads. As a result, we expect to see a continued focus on development and innovation in the active safety arena.
Richard Buitendijk may be reached via Email at RichardBuitendijk@csmauto.com.
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