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