JP\/16\/ITAUTO<\/p>\n
Today's cars are smarter, but drivers must still use their heads<\/p>\n
Zatni Arbi
\nContributor\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
We were traveling in the center lane of the Jakarta-Merak toll
\nroad. Suddenly, the white BMW 3-Series in front of us veered
\nsharply to the left and slammed into the metal guard rail.<\/p>\n
My friend quickly stepped on the brakes, fearing that the BMW
\nwas going to ricochet to the right. It did not. It just slowed
\ndown after scraping some of its left fender. Now the lone driver
\nhad some explaining to do to his boss. It was clear that he had
\ndozed off at the wheel.<\/p>\n
In two years or so, single-vehicle accidents such as the one
\nwe saw that day might perhaps be prevented to a large extent
\nafter carmakers implement a variety of active safety systems.<\/p>\n
They are called active systems because, based on the data
\ninput from various sensors, they take the initiative to
\nproactively help drivers avoid accidents. Passive safety
\nfeatures, on the other hand, are designed to reduce the impact at
\nthe time of the crash and afterwards.<\/p>\n
Active safety technology
\nToday, safety features have become an important factor to
\nconsider when people buy a new car. Industry insiders have also
\nreported that automotive safety systems are a fast-growing
\nmarket, and suppliers of such systems -- Bosch, TRW, Continental
\nTeves and others -- are doing particularly well.<\/p>\n
Responding to market and regulatory demands, carmakers add new
\nsafety systems to make their cars, SUVs and trucks much smarter
\nand safer.<\/p>\n
Ford, for example, is introducing what it calls a Lane
\nDeparture Warning (LDW) system. This feature is expected to be
\nincorporated in its Mercury Meta One concept car, due for
\nshowcase in the U.S. in January next year.<\/p>\n
Relying on the lane markings on the road, the system will warn
\nthe driver -- and shake him up -- if his car suddenly changes
\ndirection without the proper turn signal. Of course, the system
\nwill not be triggered if he has given the turn signal. The same
\nsystem is offered on Infiniti FX SUVs starting this fall.<\/p>\n
Another advanced safety technology being implemented by Ford
\nis the Collision Mitigation by Braking (CMbB). If the sensor
\nmonitoring the distance to the car ahead detects that the
\ndistance is becoming smaller at an increasing speed, the system
\nwill automatically apply the brakes with increasing pressure to
\nslow your car down in a bid to minimize the impact should there
\nbe a crash.<\/p>\n
Ford's very popular Explorer SUVs -- especially the Sport Trac
\nmodel -- took a blow last August as they fared rather poorly in
\nthe rollover tests conducted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic
\nSafety Administration (NHTSA).<\/p>\n
The problem, which is quite common in other SUVs, is basically
\ncaused by the SUV's higher center of gravity. The good news is
\nthat today, SUV makers including Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler
\nhave quickly responded to the findings and promise to add an
\nActive Rollover Protection (ARP) system to the next models of
\ntheir SUVs.<\/p>\n
How does it work? Basically, each time the sensors on the
\nfront suspension detect that the SUV's body is tilting too much
\nto one side while cornering, the system will suspect that it may
\nbe about to tip over.<\/p>\n
It will then automatically apply the brakes and slow the
\nengine down until all four wheels are once again gripping the
\nground.<\/p>\n
Active safety systems
\nActive technologies have been the focus of the automotive
\nindustry for a long time. Today, we take the Antilock Braking
\nSystem (ABS) for granted, even in compact cars such as the Chevy
\nAveo.<\/p>\n
Bosch began making the ABS back in 1978. I still remember how
\nthe ABS was one of the touted features of the Cadillac Allante
\ntwo-seater back in late 1980s.<\/p>\n
ABS is one important basic component in active safety
\ntechnology. Another is Brake Assist (BA). Cars equipped with this
\nsystem, such as the Mercedes-Benz, will detect if the driver
\nsteps on the brake pedal quickly but not hard enough for the
\nshortest possible stop.<\/p>\n
Research done by Mercedes-Benz has concluded that even alert
\ndrivers often apply too little pressure on the brake pedal to
\navoid accidents, even when they have reacted quickly enough.<\/p>\n
Based on data on the driver's habits that the system has
\ncollected, it will maximize the pressure to achieve the shortest
\npossible stopping distance.<\/p>\n
Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) is another active
\ntechnology commonly found in midrange-to-upscale cars today. It
\nworks together with ABS to distribute the braking force between
\nthe front and rear wheels to avoid locking. The distribution is
\nadjusted according to the load on the front and rear wheels and
\nworks to reduce tilt while braking.<\/p>\n
Technologies working together
\nIf you drive a car with manual transmission, each time you go
\ndown a steep hill you may shift to a lower gear to use the engine
\nto provide the main braking force.<\/p>\n
If you have automatic transmission, you will need to put your
\nfoot on the brake pedal. Today, cars such as the Australian-made
\nFord Territory \"people mover\" have Hill Descent Control.<\/p>\n
Simply push a button, and the system will apply the system. As
\nlong as you do not step on the throttle, the system will maintain
\na steady downhill speed. Toyota calls a similar system
\nimplemented in its SUV lines Downhill Assist Control (DAC).<\/p>\n
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is another very effective
\ndriving aid. Incorporating ABS and a Traction Control System
\n(TCS), ESC helps prevent understeering or oversteering and helps
\nthe car stay on its intended course.<\/p>\n
Since 1999, all Mercedes-Benz models have this system as a
\nstandard feature, and the number of skidding incidents has
\nreportedly gone down by 15 percent.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, passive safety measures include the addition of
\ncrumple zones. If a crash cannot be prevented, the crumple zones
\nwill absorb some of the force and reduce the impact on the
\noccupants.<\/p>\n
A collapsible steering column is another passive safety
\nfeature. To protect the cars' occupants in the event the car is
\ngiven a side swipe, side impact intrusion beams on the doors have
\nbecome a standard feature in most cars today.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, other passive safety features that we have become
\nso familiar with are seatbelts and airbags.<\/p>\n
The quest for fuel economy<\/p>\n
Drivers want to have as much horsepower as they can squeeze
\nfrom the engine. Unfortunately, high performance always requires
\na lot of fuel. Environmentalists hate cars that consume a lot of
\nfuel, as they increase the production of various pollutants and
\nsmog.<\/p>\n
The price of oil has also been increasing, and it has created
\na lot of concern among car buyers. Understandably, automotive
\nengineers all over the world scramble to design engines that are
\nfuel-efficient, yet capable of producing a lot of torque.<\/p>\n
Hybridization is one of the solutions. Hybrid cars are getting
\nmore and more popular as they give us higher fuel economy.<\/p>\n
The Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius were two of the
\nsuccessful firsts on the U.S. and European markets.<\/p>\n
The Ford Escape Hybrid, the first hybrid SUV, is currently
\ngaining momentum. Toyota and Lexus are coming up with their own
\nhybrid SUVs, the Hybrid Highlander and RX 400h.<\/p>\n
The Accord hybrid is coming out, and in 2006 we will have
\nhybrid Camry as well.<\/p>\n
How does a hybrid car work to reduce fuel consumption? When
\nthe car is idle, the gas engine will shut down. When just a
\nmoderate amount of power is needed, the car will be propelled by
\na battery-powered dynamo.<\/p>\n
During hard acceleration and hill climbing, the gas engine
\nwill fire. When the brake is applied, the reverse force is used
\nto recharge the battery.<\/p>\n
At present, the price difference between a regular gasoline
\ncar and its hybrid sibling is still significant. It is estimated
\nthat up to eight years are needed to recoup the price difference.<\/p>\n
However, as more and more people go with the hybrids we can
\nexpect the price difference to decline. Besides Honda, Toyota and
\nFord, Hyundai has also announced its intention to introduce
\nhybrids.<\/p>\n
Gas guzzlers, especially those luxury and high-powered cars,
\nalso incorporate the technology that will shut down half or more
\nof its cylinders when idle.<\/p>\n
The use of electronics makes the operation possible. An
\nexample is the Hemi V8 5.7-liter engine used in the 2005 Chrysler
\n300C. Called the Multi Displacement System (MDS), it can turn the
\nsame engine from four-cylinder to eight-cylinder operation in
\nmilliseconds.<\/p>\n
The shutting down of some of the cylinders is not really a
\nbrand new technique for achieving better fuel economy. Some years
\nago, Volkswagen built a W18 engine for Bugatti. When not needed,
\nsix of the eighteen cylinders would be shut off.<\/p>\n
An alternative approach to the fuel challenge is the
\ndevelopment of fuel cells. It is the route that other carmakers
\nincluding Daimler-Benz are taking. Fuel cell Mercedes-Benz Citaro
\nbuses are already in operation in some European cities and
\nAustralia. Even Honda is developing a scooter that runs on fuel
\ncells.
\n
\nEnhancing comfort
\nEven now, the best suspension systems used in luxury sedans are
\nbasically reactive ones. They respond to bumps and potholes by
\ndamping the impact. The problem is that, the softer the ride, the
\nmore prone the car to rolling and pitching during fast turns and
\nhard braking.<\/p>\n
Probably the most important invention in automotive comfort
\ntechnology in 2004 is a suspension system that actively adapts to
\nroad conditions and keeps the car level, even when it is being
\ndriven aggressively.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, such an active suspension system comes from
\nBose, a company that we know for its top-notch audio products.<\/p>\n
Called the Bose Suspension System (BSS), it uses linear
\nelectromagnetic motors, power amplifiers, a proprietary algorithm
\nand, of course, a computer.<\/p>\n
The computer tells each of the motors how much and which
\ndirection it should move. The result is a ride that is smoother
\nthan even a luxury sedan can offer, but more stable than a sports
\ncar during hard cornering.<\/p>\n
Currently, no car has reportedly implemented BSS. It seems
\nthat more testing still has to be done to ensure that the system
\nis really viable.<\/p>\n
The computer as enabler
\nAll the latest technologies used in safety, fuel economy and
\ncomfort features hinge on computers, sensors and Electronic
\nControl Units (ECUs).<\/p>\n
None of the technologies above would be possible without the
\nhelp of computers, sensors and control units. Numerous other
\nsystems are finding their way into cars, including Adaptive
\nCruise Control (ACC), Drive-by-Wire and Tire Pressure Monitoring
\nSystem (TPMS).<\/p>\n
Electronics can respond much faster than human beings.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, no matter how smart or safe a car might be,
\ndrivers still have to use their brains.<\/p>\n
At very high speeds when split-second reaction will be
\nrequired, all the safety features in the world will not be able
\nto save lives.<\/p>\n
For that reason, drinking and driving are not the right thing
\nto do.<\/p>\n
No collision avoidance features can save your car from nasty
\nscratches if fate has it that a reckless bajaj (motorized
\npedicab) driver suddenly decides to cut in front of you.<\/p>\n
Until we have self-navigating cars only on our roads, whether
\nor not crashes can be avoided will always be up to driver
\nbehavior.<\/p>",
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