Radar car collision prevention systems put to the test
from Automotive (1597 articles)
Volvo City Safety
Image Gallery ( 3 images )PRE-SAFE works with Distronic Plus to tighten front seat belts and alter seat positioning in the moments preceding a collision. The system also closes sunroofs if it senses an impending rollover, and closes side windows to better support air bags.
The Mercedes Distronic Plus is currently available on some S-class models. S-Class is also the first model of Mercedes to incorporate Night View Assist, which uses infra-red light projectors to create a high-resolution video display of up to 150 meters of upcoming road in the instrument cluster.
The Honda CMBS also uses radar to calculate the distance and speed of the vehicle in front, sending visual and audible warnings to the driver and automatically applying the brakes if a collision is imminent. Like the PRE-SAFE, CMBS E-Pretensioners tighten seat belts to lessen the chance of injury resulting from collisions.
The CMBS operates only when the car is traveling at greater speeds than 9.3 mph, and when the speed difference between it and the vehicle in front exceeds 9.3 mph. This is to minimise annoyances the system might cause when a driver wishes to, say, park a car.
The CMBS operates in three stages. If the distance between the two vehicles tightens, it sounds a buzzer and displays a BRAKE message on the car display. If that is ignored, it will automatically apply light braking combined with light tugs on the driver’s seat belt. The final stage occurs when the system perceives a collision as imminent – it tightens the seat belts and applies full brakes.
While all three systems use radar technology to create impressive, and effective, collision prevention systems, they are also vulnerable to radar’s weaknesses. Weather conditions like fog and rain can undermine its effectiveness, and dirt can obscure the sensor.
Car safety technology, for all its good intentions, has also been theorized to have negative psychological consequences. Some studies have shown that drivers will increase risk-taking behavior as a result of a perception of increased safety. In our opinion it would be nice to think that people aren't that stupid! The car companies themselves, and Thatcham, point to the obvious fact their technologies are most effective when used with an alert, responsible driver.
Overall, the attitude toward radar based safety tech is optimistic, with car manufacturers predicting that the systems can be further refined to detect other collisions, including those with pedestrians. Matthew Avery said “These systems are a massive breakthrough for keeping motorists safe. Vehicle manufacturers should be congratulated for developing and introducing this technology which is significant for the safety of all UK road users.”
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