Driver Safety: How Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Keep You Protected

2010 Ford Taurus - Collision Warning with Brake Support
2010 Ford Taurus - Collision Warning with Brake Support

Automakers are putting more focus on driver safety through advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) when manufacturing both luxury and mainstream models.

Common ADAS include lane departure and blind spot monitoring. These systems don’t just reduce the risk for an accident but can also keep you better protected if a collision occurs. Consider the following ADAS features when buying your next car.

Hit the jump for the list of ADAS features that you should consider when buying your next car.

  • Adaptive cruise control (ACC) – Through the use of radars, adaptive cruise control aids driver safety by automatically accelerating, decelerating or maintaining your car’s current speed relative to vehicles around you. This ensures you keep a safe distance from other vehicles at all times and helps minimize the risk of an accident.
  • Blind spot monitoring – Your car can alert you when vehicles are in or approaching your blind spots. A light on your side mirrors, a sound, or both can indicate the alert.
  • Lane departure – This driver assistance feature will help keep you within the lines of your current lane. You’ll be alerted if you change lanes while going faster than a certain speed and without using your turn signal, to protect against accidental drifting. This technology uses an on-board camera to detect lane markers and calculate your vehicle’s position within the lane.
  • Parking assist – The parking assist feature helps you steer your car into a parking space by using sonar sensors on the front and back of your vehicle and a built-in camera. This advanced driver assistance system ensures you park a safe distance away from other vehicles. Simply choose what type of parking you need – reverse or parallel – and the on-screen guide will assist you.
  • Pre-crash preparation – Another feature to assist in driver safety is pre-crash preparation. When the car’s radar or sensors detect that a crash is imminent, the driver assistance system warns you through audio and visual alerts. Your car may also be equipped to close any windows, tighten your seatbelt, pre-charge brakes, and automatically apply the brakes to lessen the impact of a collision.

Technology is just one aspect of smarter driving. If you’re shopping for a new car, don’t forget to protect it – and yourself – with reliable auto insurance. Look for a trusted insurance provider that offers discounts for safety features like ADAS so you can get affordable car insurance coverage that meets your needs.

– By: Nicole Tomassetti