Description:
Over the century since the automobile was invented, it has evolved from a workhorse with the ability to transport passengers from one place to another to a driving machine-one that improves a driver's skills through electronics and computer sensors and one that protects them more than ever before in the event of an accident.
In part one of our two-part series on automobile technology, we look at smart cars and the features that give them their Einstein-like qualities. Some of these technologies may not be available in your car today, but it's likely they will be offered in the vast majority of cars -- from entry-level cars to the top luxury automobiles -- within the next few years.
The Pedal to the Metal
Around The Corner
I Can See Clearly
Help Is On The Way
 The Pedal To The Metal
You step on the accelerator and the vehicle begins to move. Depress the brake and the car will slow down and stop. It seems straightforward enough, but these days not all is what it seems. "By-wire" technology, initially introduced as fly-by-wire for military aircraft, has found its way into the automotive luxury market in the form of drive-by-wire systems. Available in mid-level luxury vehicles like the Volvo S80, drive-by-wire technology replaces the mechanical link between the accelerator and the engine with electronics (read computers) that can adapt to your driving style while maintaining optimum fuel efficiency. Brake-by-wire systems are expected to begin appearing in the top-end luxury automobiles, like the BMW 7-Series, by the 2002 model year.
While by-wire technologies assist the driver, cruise control functions to operate without the driver's input. Up until recently, cruise control systems only used the accelerator to maintain or reach the selected speed without any regard to cars that may be in front of the vehicle. With adaptive cruise control, a radar system maintains a set distance between the vehicle in front of it, in addition to setting a maximum speed. These systems, currently in use in Europe, also can apply the brakes in the event that the lead vehicle slows down. Drivers still must intervene in order to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
 Around The Corner
ABC, ESP, VSA, ABS, DSTC, IVD. You name the letters and there is probably an acronym associated with it. Each automaker calls these features something different, but what it translates to is increased control of your vehicle. Antilock brakes as well as systems that reduce the amount of body roll and increase your traction are all designed to assist the driver in handling potentially dangerous situations, such as emergency maneuvers, icy or wet pavement or a sandy patch on the roadside. The vast majority of vehicles today have antilock brakes, while more and more manufacturers are developing stability and traction control systems that work in conjunction with the brakes and other powertrain components. These systems can apply the brake on one wheel, adjust the throttle or even move suspension springs to regain traction or reduce body roll when cornering.
 I Can See Clearly
Having a clear view of the road ahead and behind you is critical to good driving, but sometimes circumstances prohibit you from seeing what you need to see. Automakers have been working to resolve that problem. Today, features like reversing radar, which gives an audible warning when there's something behind you, and Cadillac's Night Vision, which uses a sensing device to show you a pedestrian or an animal in darkness on the road up ahead, are becoming more common and will someday probably be standard features on all vehicles.
Within a few more years, it's likely that cameras will become literal eyes in the back of our heads, alerting us when a vehicle is in our blind spot before we make a lane change. Headlights will change too, adapting to the particular situation to meet our needs. On a city street or neighborhood, the headlights would project a wider beam, lighting sidewalks so we can see pedestrians or bicyclists. On highways or in unpopulated areas, the light would be focused into a narrow beam, projecting further down the road. These adaptive lighting systems, like the one being tested by BMW, can also adjust the quality of light to compensate for weather conditions or project light around the next corner using information from a navigation system.
Help Is On The Way
Safety has always been of key importance in vehicles, but these days automakers see it as a strong selling point. Vehicle brochures, press kits and websites all have entire sections devoted to the safety aspects of each model. In the last two years, dual front airbags have become standard equipment in all new vehicles, yet automakers are developing features that go above and beyond that requirement. Today we see a variety of advanced front airbags that deploy at different forces depending on if the occupants are wearing seatbelts or on how hard the vehicle is hit. Side airbags are becoming more prevalent too in a variety of forms, including seat and door-mounted types as well as curtain-styles that deploy from the ceiling of the vehicle. In the near future, airbags will get even smarter, sensing if the seat is occupied and determine the weight (and therefore approximate size) of the occupant, and deploy with appropriate force to protect, yet minimizing the risk of harming a child or small adult.
Other safety features that are beginning to appear include emergency messaging systems, like GM's OnStar and Mercedes-Benz' TeleAid, that will automatically send emergency services and a tow truck in the event the airbags deploy. These systems function using a global positioning satellite link, which allows a remote service to pinpoint the location of the vehicle even if the occupants cannot respond or don't know where they are. Features like tire pressure monitoring systems, which provide advance warning if a tire is going flat, and driver alertness systems, which issue audible warnings to a driver who is inattentive or drowsy, are available as aftermarket options currently, but are likely to be adopted by automakers as standard features in the coming years.
It may seem a little bit like big brother is watching over you, but these high-tech options are really an effort to create a more satisfying and safer driving experience. Today's automotive engineers are designing cars to be smarter than their drivers all in the quest to provide the ultimate in performance and safety. It's up to you to determine if they succeed. |
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