Does New Car Tech Boost Safety?

Beyond anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC)—both of which are now standard on all new cars—automobile manufacturers have recently introduced a handful of sophisticated crash avoidance technologies. Do these systems really help to improve roadway safety, or do they simply cost money that car buyers are better off saving or spending on other options?

What Are They?

New, high-tech safety systems are usually available only as expensive options on luxury vehicles, but they eventually work their way down-market and become commonplace. They include:

• Forward collision-avoidance systems detect objects in front of the car and alert the driver to hit the brakes—or even apply the brakes themselves—if an impact appears imminent.
• Adaptive cruise control automatically slows or accelerates a vehicle in order to maintain the set speed and a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead.
• Lane-departure warning systems alert drivers when their vehicle strays from its lane. Some systems apply the brakes or make steering adjustments to keep the vehicle on-course.
• Blind-spot detection systems alert drivers to nearby vehicles in adjacent lanes. Some systems automatically brake or steer to keep the vehicle in its lane if the driver signals a turn and there's an object in the blind spot.
• Back-over prevention systems alert drivers to objects directly behind the vehicle. Some systems automatically apply the brakes. Those with cross-traffic detection identify objects approaching from the side as well.
• Adaptive headlights pivot, as the steering wheel is turned, to better light the driver's intended path.

Do They Help?

The critical question is: Do these systems really help drivers to avoid collisions? The short answer is that the effectiveness of these systems varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, based on the specific system's components and programming and on the type and number of sensors employed.

The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) recently released a report suggesting that forward-collision warning systems can help drivers to avoid rear-end collisions. The HLDI has also found adaptive headlights to be effective in reducing crashes. They warn, however, that lane-departure warnings systems are not that beneficial, speculating that drivers may suffer from "warning overload" and tune out the alarms.

In the end, it appears that some high-tech crash avoidance systems are effective at…well, avoiding crashes. Still, the best way to promote highway safety is for an alert driver to carefully operate the vehicle.