The Future of Brake Technology

December 27, 2021 by

Every year there are technical experts in every field working to make driving safer for everyone. While many people are focused on the latest inventions, others look to perfect what already exists.

Automakers are currently working on new ways to make braking and driving safer than ever. High-quality brake systems are one essential component of preventing accidents. It doesn’t do a vehicle any good to automatically detect a potential accident when the brakes cannot prevent it from happening. Read further to get a look at the future of brake technology.

Current Braking Systems

Currently, there are three main types of braking systems. The first is called brake-by-wire, where there is an electronic system (wires) in control of the braking system. This is instead of having a physical connection working the brakes.

Next, there’s automatic emergency braking. Automatic emergency braking systems automatically detect impact and apply the brakes to prevent further damage. Ideally, this system will help accidents from becoming worse.

Finally, there’s post-crash braking. According to Henry Scott of Ford, up to twenty percent of all accidents are followed by a second collision. That’s where post-crash brakes come into play. They are designed to help prevent a secondary accident from occurring.

New Braking Systems

In response to the increased need for safety, many car manufacturers are working on their own solutions to braking systems. For example, Siemens is working on what they’re calling a wedge brake. Their wedge brake reportedly has a shorter stopping distance than traditional brakes.

Brembo is another company looking to revolutionize the braking system. Brembo’s latest initiative looks to make driving both safer and greener, and that includes their brake systems. They are currently working with AI to develop a more innovative way of autonomous braking, which can take weather conditions into account, among other things.

Different Uses for Braking Systems

Believe it or not, braking systems are being deployed beyond their most obvious uses. Manufacturers are looking to use braking systems to help cars stay in their lanes, maintain a better grip on slippery roads, and even the ability to brace for a detected and impending collision.

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The Best New Tech Safety Features in Cars

April 22, 2021 by

There has been a steady influx of tech features being rolled out by car manufactures, and 2021 is going to be no different. Any new automobile technology’s primary goal, regardless of its purpose for comfort, safety, or entertainment, is to avoid driver distraction. Here are some of the highest-rated safety tech features in cars for 2021.

 

Teen drivers are still the riskiest group on the roads and also the biggest worry for parents. With Chevy’s Teen Driver, parents can stay connected via a system that alerts when the car is driven over a speed limit, or the forward collision alert is triggered. They are also provided with a safety report card. Buckle to Drive is a feature of GM’s Teen Driver car system and displays notifications about safety. It also provides parents with a driver’s report card. 

 

Digital car keys have now become a valuable tool in automotive safety. The ability to start a car remotely is not only luxurious and convenient, but it reduces the amount of time a person has to wait to get inside and lock the doors. The proactive gauges that monitor fuel levels and tire pressure cut down drastically on the possibility of becoming trapped in a dangerous situation or breaking down. The future will see smartphones acting as remote keys. 

 

One of the most annoying and dangerous car elements is the blind spot caused by side pillars. New technology includes blind-spot sensors and monitors. Mounted on either the side or rear of the car, they can detect when vehicles are approaching and send either visual or audio alerts. Brands like Kia and Hyundai provide this feature within the gauge cluster, which keeps the driver focused on the road. 

 

Humans are slowly warming up to the concept of having driver-assisted technology. Some co-pilot packages offer hands-free driving, automated parking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, reverse brake assist, and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB). Faster than a human’s ability to respond, AEB will also brake harder if danger seems imminent. This revolutionary safety feature The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believes AEB, dynamic brake support (DBS), and crash imminent braking (CIB) will be the most significant developments in the fight against traffic fatalities. 

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Will Car Safety Tech Lower Insurance Rates?

April 21, 2021 by

With the rise of more technologically advanced cars comes the expectation of safety. Many new features in vehicles, such as collision avoidance and parking assistance, are designed to help make the driving experience a safer one.

With the increase in safety comes the assumption that there will be a decrease in car insurance costs. However, it is never safe to make any assumptions in the world of insurance, and thus it is essential to research the matter.

Car Safety Tech

Every single year new advancements are made in the world of technology. Much of the new technology developed for automobiles has been to make travel safer for all. There’s no doubt that self-driving cars will come around, eventually. In the meantime, here are plenty of innovations to bridge the gap.

Collision warning systems are a common piece of car safety tech. Other features can include automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, cabin camera, and adaptive headlights. 

Tech Effectiveness

The latest Consumer Reports indicate strongly that the latest advancements in car safety technology do work as intended. They prevent collisions or reduce the severity of them when unavoidable.

Naturally, this means that lives can be saved and injuries avoided. However, there is a negative worth discussing at this point. Much of the technology available today is hidden behind increased expenses. A car with additional features is not as affordable as a more basic model, so it will not apply to everyone.

Technology vs. Human Error

While it is true that technology has been working hard to make driving a safer experience for all, there are some mitigating factors to consider. According to recent research, human driving has been getting worse, even while the technology gets better.

Bobbie Seppelt, from MIT, has been studying part of this phenomenon since 2015. The study has focused on driver attention and has found that distracted and multitasking drivers have become more common.

Furthermore, the study found that when car safety tech is at play, there are two types of users. First, there are the people who trust the tech, sometimes even going so far as to experiment with it or even rely on it too heavily. Conversely, some may outright stop using the technology.

Car Insurance And Technology Costs

While these advancements in car safety tech meet their intended goals – to save lives – they do so at an increased cost. This, in turn, makes it more expensive for insurance companies to replace.

It doesn’t take much to realize where this train of thought is leading. With the new technology costing more for insurers to replace, there is little incentive to decrease insurance plans. 

For example, The Zebra pointed out that a regular bumper would cost between $300 and $700 to replace, with a bumper with sensors would cost more than $1,000 to replace. When looking into how much is saved, it turns out that the average car safety tech can only save around 1% on car insurance. Perhaps this is something that will change in the future, as care safety tech and insurance companies learn to work together.

 

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AI is Making the Auto Insurance Industry Safer and More Personalized

February 24, 2021 by

Digital consumerism is a trend that has been growing in recent years. With the advancements in AI and machine learning, companies in every industry can now get a more detailed picture of their customers. In retail, this means a 360° profile documenting more than just a purchase history. The one area that has trailed behind is the world of auto insurance, dragged down for decades by stagnant national brands and legacy product lines. That is all changing with the advancement of technology. Customers are demanding a personalized experience, and the auto industry is prepared to deliver.

Many things go through a person’s mind when they are in a vehicle accident. The guidebooks say to go through a checklist that includes checking yourself for injuries, checking passengers, getting everyone to a safe place, calling for help, waiting until help arrives, exchanging information with other parties, and documenting the incident. Most people, however, are not in the right frame of mind to rationally step through this list without getting emotional, which is to be expected. The concept of a clear-headed machine being able to handle all the details seems too good to be true, yet technology is at that point already.

Customers’ most significant complaint with their auto insurance providers is that claims are not processed quickly or correctly. The rates are then increased, either due to an incident or on the whole. Insurance providers have long sought ways of saving money so the savings can be passed down to customers. The issue arises when a claim comes in. Providers don’t usually hear anything until the claim. By then, claim costs have gotten out of control because expenses have already been paid. Customers could assist the providers by embracing sensor technology but choose to avoid it due to privacy concerns regarding private data and driver behavior. 

Accident Detection and Response (ADR) is the latest piece of technology that will not only save costs but will also save lives. Insurance providers can be involved in real-time at the moment of an accident through virtual sensors. Crash data is instantly read, and first-responders are contacted, if necessary. Without sharing personal data, ADR can share granular, real-time bodily injury reports with EMTs in order to get the required life-saving care. All crash data is instantly uploaded to the cloud and analyzed, generating damage and injury reports without false positives or false negatives. 

 

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