Today's cars are smarter, but drivers must still use their heads

Zatni Arbi, Contributor/Jakarta

We were traveling in the center lane of the Jakarta-Merak toll road. Suddenly, the white BMW 3-Series in front of us veered sharply to the left and slammed into the metal guard rail.

My friend quickly stepped on the brakes, fearing that the BMW was going to ricochet to the right. It did not. It just slowed down after scraping some of its left fender. Now the lone driver had some explaining to do to his boss. It was clear that he had dozed off at the wheel.

In two years or so, single-vehicle accidents such as the one we saw that day might perhaps be prevented to a large extent after carmakers implement a variety of active safety systems.

They are called active systems because, based on the data input from various sensors, they take the initiative to proactively help drivers avoid accidents. Passive safety features, on the other hand, are designed to reduce the impact at the time of the crash and afterwards.

Active safety technology Today, safety features have become an important factor to consider when people buy a new car. Industry insiders have also reported that automotive safety systems are a fast-growing market, and suppliers of such systems -- Bosch, TRW, Continental Teves and others -- are doing particularly well.

Responding to market and regulatory demands, carmakers add new safety systems to make their cars, SUVs and trucks much smarter and safer.

Ford, for example, is introducing what it calls a Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system. This feature is expected to be incorporated in its Mercury Meta One concept car, due for showcase in the U.S. in January next year.

Relying on the lane markings on the road, the system will warn the driver -- and shake him up -- if his car suddenly changes direction without the proper turn signal. Of course, the system will not be triggered if he has given the turn signal. The same system is offered on Infiniti FX SUVs starting this fall.

Another advanced safety technology being implemented by Ford is the Collision Mitigation by Braking (CMbB). If the sensor monitoring the distance to the car ahead detects that the distance is becoming smaller at an increasing speed, the system will automatically apply the brakes with increasing pressure to slow your car down in a bid to minimize the impact should there be a crash.

Ford's very popular Explorer SUVs -- especially the Sport Trac model -- took a blow last August as they fared rather poorly in the rollover tests conducted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The problem, which is quite common in other SUVs, is basically caused by the SUV's higher center of gravity. The good news is that today, SUV makers including Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler have quickly responded to the findings and promise to add an Active Rollover Protection (ARP) system to the next models of their SUVs.

How does it work? Basically, each time the sensors on the front suspension detect that the SUV's body is tilting too much to one side while cornering, the system will suspect that it may be about to tip over.

It will then automatically apply the brakes and slow the engine down until all four wheels are once again gripping the ground.

Active safety systems Active technologies have been the focus of the automotive industry for a long time. Today, we take the Antilock Braking System (ABS) for granted, even in compact cars such as the Chevy Aveo.

Bosch began making the ABS back in 1978. I still remember how the ABS was one of the touted features of the Cadillac Allante two-seater back in late 1980s.

ABS is one important basic component in active safety technology. Another is Brake Assist (BA). Cars equipped with this system, such as the Mercedes-Benz, will detect if the driver steps on the brake pedal quickly but not hard enough for the shortest possible stop.

Research done by Mercedes-Benz has concluded that even alert drivers often apply too little pressure on the brake pedal to avoid accidents, even when they have reacted quickly enough.

Based on data on the driver's habits that the system has collected, it will maximize the pressure to achieve the shortest possible stopping distance.

Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) is another active technology commonly found in midrange-to-upscale cars today. It works together with ABS to distribute the braking force between the front and rear wheels to avoid locking. The distribution is adjusted according to the load on the front and rear wheels and works to reduce tilt while braking.

Technologies working together If you drive a car with manual transmission, each time you go down a steep hill you may shift to a lower gear to use the engine to provide the main braking force.

If you have automatic transmission, you will need to put your foot on the brake pedal. Today, cars such as the Australian-made Ford Territory "people mover" have Hill Descent Control.

Simply push a button, and the system will apply the system. As long as you do not step on the throttle, the system will maintain a steady downhill speed. Toyota calls a similar system implemented in its SUV lines Downhill Assist Control (DAC).

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is another very effective driving aid. Incorporating ABS and a Traction Control System (TCS), ESC helps prevent understeering or oversteering and helps the car stay on its intended course.

Since 1999, all Mercedes-Benz models have this system as a standard feature, and the number of skidding incidents has reportedly gone down by 15 percent.

Meanwhile, passive safety measures include the addition of crumple zones. If a crash cannot be prevented, the crumple zones will absorb some of the force and reduce the impact on the occupants.

A collapsible steering column is another passive safety feature. To protect the cars' occupants in the event the car is given a side swipe, side impact intrusion beams on the doors have become a standard feature in most cars today.

Meanwhile, other passive safety features that we have become so familiar with are seatbelts and airbags.

The quest for fuel economy

Drivers want to have as much horsepower as they can squeeze from the engine. Unfortunately, high performance always requires a lot of fuel. Environmentalists hate cars that consume a lot of fuel, as they increase the production of various pollutants and smog.

The price of oil has also been increasing, and it has created a lot of concern among car buyers. Understandably, automotive engineers all over the world scramble to design engines that are fuel-efficient, yet capable of producing a lot of torque.

Hybridization is one of the solutions. Hybrid cars are getting more and more popular as they give us higher fuel economy.

The Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius were two of the successful firsts on the U.S. and European markets.

The Ford Escape Hybrid, the first hybrid SUV, is currently gaining momentum. Toyota and Lexus are coming up with their own hybrid SUVs, the Hybrid Highlander and RX 400h.

The Accord hybrid is coming out, and in 2006 we will have hybrid Camry as well.

How does a hybrid car work to reduce fuel consumption? When the car is idle, the gas engine will shut down. When just a moderate amount of power is needed, the car will be propelled by a battery-powered dynamo.

During hard acceleration and hill climbing, the gas engine will fire. When the brake is applied, the reverse force is used to recharge the battery.

At present, the price difference between a regular gasoline car and its hybrid sibling is still significant. It is estimated that up to eight years are needed to recoup the price difference.

However, as more and more people go with the hybrids we can expect the price difference to decline. Besides Honda, Toyota and Ford, Hyundai has also announced its intention to introduce hybrids.

Gas guzzlers, especially those luxury and high-powered cars, also incorporate the technology that will shut down half or more of its cylinders when idle.

The use of electronics makes the operation possible. An example is the Hemi V8 5.7-liter engine used in the 2005 Chrysler 300C. Called the Multi Displacement System (MDS), it can turn the same engine from four-cylinder to eight-cylinder operation in milliseconds.

The shutting down of some of the cylinders is not really a brand new technique for achieving better fuel economy. Some years ago, Volkswagen built a W18 engine for Bugatti. When not needed, six of the eighteen cylinders would be shut off.

An alternative approach to the fuel challenge is the development of fuel cells. It is the route that other carmakers including Daimler-Benz are taking. Fuel cell Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses are already in operation in some European cities and Australia. Even Honda is developing a scooter that runs on fuel cells. Enhancing comfort Even now, the best suspension systems used in luxury sedans are basically reactive ones. They respond to bumps and potholes by damping the impact. The problem is that, the softer the ride, the more prone the car to rolling and pitching during fast turns and hard braking.

Probably the most important invention in automotive comfort technology in 2004 is a suspension system that actively adapts to road conditions and keeps the car level, even when it is being driven aggressively.

Surprisingly, such an active suspension system comes from Bose, a company that we know for its top-notch audio products.

Called the Bose Suspension System (BSS), it uses linear electromagnetic motors, power amplifiers, a proprietary algorithm and, of course, a computer.

The computer tells each of the motors how much and which direction it should move. The result is a ride that is smoother than even a luxury sedan can offer, but more stable than a sports car during hard cornering.

Currently, no car has reportedly implemented BSS. It seems that more testing still has to be done to ensure that the system is really viable.

The computer as enabler All the latest technologies used in safety, fuel economy and comfort features hinge on computers, sensors and Electronic Control Units (ECUs).

None of the technologies above would be possible without the help of computers, sensors and control units. Numerous other systems are finding their way into cars, including Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Drive-by-Wire and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Electronics can respond much faster than human beings.

Nevertheless, no matter how smart or safe a car might be, drivers still have to use their brains.

At very high speeds when split-second reaction will be required, all the safety features in the world will not be able to save lives.

For that reason, drinking and driving are not the right thing to do.

No collision avoidance features can save your car from nasty scratches if fate has it that a reckless bajaj (motorized pedicab) driver suddenly decides to cut in front of you.

Until we have self-navigating cars only on our roads, whether or not crashes can be avoided will always be up to driver behavior.