Car safety systems yesterday and today.
Car safety systems yesterday and today
Car safety systems
It is impossible to give a 100% guarantee that there will be no danger when using a car under any circumstances. However, car security systems are created to minimize risks. The concept is quite broad and implies protection in several areas: safety of the driver and passenger inside the car while driving; protection of the functional properties of the car and anti-theft protection of the vehicle. Car safety systems, depending on the specific solution, can reduce the risk of accidents. Inside the car, the main, long-familiar means are responsible for safety — seat belts and airbags. It is a mistake to believe that nothing changes or develops in this area. Even the methodology itself can be decisive: often you even have to specially learn how to fasten your seat belt correctly. Such car safety systemsfall into a separate category, which we will consider a little later. Personal vehicle safety equipment has a rather long history. The first automotive equipment and special devices were created taking into account common sense and corresponded to the level of development of automotive technologies. For example, the braking system on all four wheels began to be installed only in the 1910s. With the development of the speed capabilities of the car, as well as the organization of traffic, by the end of the 1950s, car safety systems were developed that facilitate the driver's work and eliminate many dangerous moments when driving. Further introduction of electrical and hydraulic systems into the automotive industry allowed many car manufacturers to begin the widespread use of functions on the basis of which more advanced car safety systems were created.
From the general overview, we will move on to examining the two main classes of car safety — these are active and passive car protection systems.
Car active safety systems
Car active safety systems — this is the use of various systems and technologies that are aimed primarily at preventing accidents. In order to protect the car from a collision on the road, such systems affect the steering, brakes, suspension. Car active safety systemsABS, which stands for Anti-lock Braking System — this is an anti-lock braking system, the first prototype of which was presented in the early 70s. Today, the anti-lock braking system is used in many foreign and domestic cars. This system prevents the wheels of the car from locking when braking, which allows the driver in an emergency not to lose control of the car and keep it on the road.
Another system of this kind is ESP, which prevents the car from skidding and keeps it on a safe trajectory, and also complements the anti-lock braking system ABS, monitors the rotation of the steering wheel, acceleration of the car, controls the operation of the transmission and engine. Active safety systemsfrom the point of view of car tires: they should provide not only high levels of comfort and cross-country ability, but also reliable traction on wet roads and icy conditions. One of the latest trends in active car protection is the use of GPS technology. Using these technologies, vehicles can exchange information about the situation on the road, communicate their speed and trajectory to each other. Progressive safety systems include equipment that is placed in the car and monitors the driver's condition. If any problems are detected in the driver, the warning system is triggered. In this regard, today the choice of a car DVR is also especially relevant.
Car Passive Safety Systems
Car Passive Safety Systems are designed to ensure the protection of passengers' lives. The appearance of the first seat belts became the implementation of such protection systems. Over time, belts were constantly improved, becoming mobile, a pretensioner appeared, which increased the level of safety of the belt in an emergency situation. Passive safety systems of the car– these are, first and foremost, airbags. They were introduced by General Motors in 1973 and were designed to prevent damage to the driver of a car from a sharp impact with the body on the steering wheel, as well as to provide passengers with more confident protection during an accident. Further improvement of airbags led to the appearance of side airbags, curtain airbags, and knee airbags in the car interior. Airbags are designed specifically to work together with seat belts and in no way eliminate the need for their use. According to research, the use of airbags reduces the risk of death in an accident by 30-35% depending on the type of car. During a collision, belts and airbags work together. The combination of their work is 75% more effective in preventing serious head injuries and 66% more effective in preventing chest injuries. Side airbags also significantly improve the protection of the driver and passengers. Car manufacturers also use dual-stage airbags, which deploy in stages one after the other, to avoid the potential injuries to children and short adults caused by single-stage, cheaper airbags. For this reason, it is best to seat children only in the back of any type of car.