Modern technology just keeps advancing faster than most people realize. Automobile safety features are no exception. For example, just a few years ago, seeing a Tesla on the road was a rare sight, but now it feels unusual to not see one in traffic.
As technology keeps improving, so do the safety features that can be found in the average vehicle or that are at the average driver’s disposal. To help keep you safe whenever you are behind the wheel, we would like to share a quick list of modern auto tech and tips that every driver should know these days.
Upgrades, New Tech, Smart Driving & More
Technological advances are making all sorts of changes in the auto industry. To drive as safe as can be, see how many of these upgrades and tips you can utilize.
Lane Departure Warning Systems
Many modern cars have integrated lane departure warning systems into their standard safety features. If your car doesn’t have one, then you might want to upgrade to a vehicle with this feature or talk with your dealership to see if the upgrade can be added.
Lane departure warning systems work by watching the road ahead and sometimes behind with cameras that look for telltale lane limit markings, like solid or dotted lines. If these limit lines start to stray too far to one side of the frame or the other, then the computer runs the math, determines if continuing along that trajectory would cause the driver to leave their lane, and issue a warning if it would. Some lane departure warning systems can even automatically adjust the steering wheel at the last second to stop an unintended lane departure, such as if the turn signals are not engaged and indicating a lane change or merge.
Blind Spot Monitors
Another great way to avoid sideswipe car accidents is to have blind spot monitors installed in your car. Blind spot monitors point cameras backward into adjacent lanes to watch the driver’s blind spots. If a vehicle is detected there, then the system will turn on a warning light. Usually, the warning lights are integrated into the side-view mirrors, which allows the driver to check the mirrors and blind spots with one glance.
Dashcams with Autosave Features
Every car can benefit from a dashcam, but most vehicles don’t have them. Even many car models released this year don’t have a dashcam installed. If you want to have one, then you will probably have to do some shopping online.
Look for a dashcam that includes these features:
- 1080p recording quality
- Wide recording angle
- Autosave feature
The autosave feature is especially useful and important. Dashcams that can autosave will automatically overwrite old data when its internal memory card fills up. But if the dashcam detects a crash, then it will bookmark the recent footage and protect it from being overwritten automatically. This system allows you to use the dashcam whenever you are driving without worrying about it having storage space in the event of a crash.
Hands-Free GPS Apps
GPS apps have been used by drivers for a while now. Long gone are the days of needing to print out directions and pick up the sheet at every turn. But it was not until somewhat recently did GPS apps go truly hands-free.
If you are like so many other drivers who have had frustrating or scary moments on the road because your GPS app required you to press a button or input a command while you were driving, then it is time to look for a new navigation app. There are a few apps you can find for both Android and iOS that allow you to make decisions using voice commands while the program also gives you automatic audio updates. When used correctly, you can navigate from point to point without ever taking your hands off the steering wheel nor eyes off the road.
Safe “Self-Driving”
Do you have an autonomous vehicle, like a Tesla? You might be tempted to let it drive itself around while you relax in the car, but we have to insist that you don’t give the self-driving system too much authority. As you will see in the user manual, the self-driving feature of any smart car is not meant to operate without direct supervision. While your vehicle is in motion, you should be paying full attention and keep both hands on the steering wheel as if you were driving even if the vehicle is doing everything. You need to be ready to take control of the car in an emergency, which you can’t do if you are distracted.
Need help after a car accident in Oklahoma? Martin Jean & Jackson can help you sort everything out. Contact our attorneys today to start discussing your case.
