Car Safety Technology

As part of our sustainability, technology and society module, we were required to form teams and record a six-minute video presentation on one aspect of technology. Group members were randomly assigned and and this encouraged us to work on a project with different team members.

Our group decided to focus on car safety technology due to our interest in the subject, and how technology has evolved over the years to provide safety for drivers on the road.

Car Safety

Car safety is a scope of technology that encompasses a wide range of products and equipment which keep the driver and its passengers of an automobile safe while on the road.

Evolution of the seat belt

In the late 20th century, car safety was limited to rudimentary seat belts and airbags which serve only to keep the occupants of the vehicle from falling out. However, with the advancement of technology, the speeds of vehicles started to increase. Hence, lap belts began to include shoulder harnesses and airbags which were placed to save lives in accidents.

LIDAR Technology sensing obstacles

The first current use of car safety technology is LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) which helps the vehicle detect obstacles in its path and apply its brakes to avoid a collision. It also serves to detect vehicles from the side and rear and will apply brakes and tighten seatbelts if an impact is felt from the rear. Next, ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) allows the vehicle to spin its tires when the driver applies the brakes forcefully, preventing it from skidding. Lastly, roll protection systems apply mild brakes on specific wheels to prevent the car from rolling over in the event of a high speed turn which may otherwise overturn the vehicle.

ABS Comparison

Manufacturing (assembly lines) and simulation (crash tests) technology has made significant advancements to improve car safety. Complementary technologies include advancements in the automobile, computing and communication industry which help to progress car safety.

However, ethical concerns and limitations still exist. LIDAR tries to prevent collisions, but ultimately, the driver of the vehicle will still be the one in full control. Furthermore, if the equipment malfunctions, the driver may be left to his own devices in ensuring his own safety. Drivers may also become over-reliant on such technology. More importantly, in the event of a collision, it is unclear whether the manufacturer or the driver is responsible for the collision and there are no clear laws which exist to define such events.

Complacency and Dependency on the system 

Future predictions of this technology include self-driving vehicles, full-body airbags and computers which are able to learn and adapt to various environments and situations, enhancing its effectiveness.