5 to Drive: The Latest Innovations in Safety
From the 1950s to the 1980s, the story of automotive safety pretty much had two chapters: seatbelts and crumple zones. Then in the mid-1980s, anti-lock brakes and airbags hailed the beginning of a new era in safety technology; first trickling into the high-end luxury car segment and becoming available on nearly every automobile − regardless of price − by the mid ’90s. Fast forward to today and the pace of progress is staggering. Nifty new, potentially life-saving safety innovations now appear every few weeks as opposed to years.
Here are five cars that feature some of our favorite safety features.
Click here to watch the 5 to Drive: The Latest Innovations in Safety video.
2009 Infiniti FX35 (MSRP $42,150)
With its unusual, pulled-back “cat’s eye” headlights and swoopy hood and roof lines, Infiniti’s FX crossover has a very futuristic look. And matching its “tomorrow’s car today” style are a couple of very ingenious safety technologies: Around View Monitor and lane departure warning.
The Around View Monitoring system consists of four wide-angle video cameras (one under each side mirror, inside the front grille badge and next to the rear license plate area) that, when reverse gear is engaged, give a “bird’s eye” nearly 360-degree view of the vehicle that is displayed on the navigation/information screen atop the center console. A split screen shows the view straight out the rear of the car when backing up while simultaneously showing what is immediately to the front and sides of the FX. It may sound confusing (or even hokey), but the truth is it works…brilliantly! If backing into a tight curbside space on a city street has been as intimidating as a trip to the dentist for a root canal, rejoice ─ Infiniti’s Around View Monitoring system will have you parallel parking like a seasoned valet parking attendant, but without the sometimes snarky attitude. What’s more, when driving, the two side cameras can sense if the vehicle is wandering out of your lane, warning the driver with a beep, or even subtly applying the brakes to bring the FX back in the lane.
Five Reasons to Buy:
1. Brimming with high-tech options
2. Styling that stands apart from the crowd
3. Quality interior
4. Unexpectedly fun handling
5. Better cargo space than expected
2009 Honda Civic EX-L (MSRP $20,855)
While the popular Honda Civic might not sport the fancy, high-tech geegaws like some of the safety technologies featured in many of the other cars on this list, this venerable Japanese model − available in both coupe and sedan configurations − packs some very important life-saving tech that can aid not only drivers and passengers but also pedestrians.
In the event of a crash, the Civic’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure helps to redirect crash loads away from the passenger compartment. By design, the car’s fender and body sections at all four corners act as crash structures to absorb the brunt of an accident’s force − even in collisions with larger vehicles. The Civic also features the company’s Pedestrian Injury Mitigation technology: If a driver hits a pedestrian or bicyclist, the hood, front fenders, and their attachments work in tandem to collapse and dissipate the force of impact − even the windshield wipers are designed to break away to minimize bodily injury.
Five Reasons to Buy:
1. Affordable
2. Fuel efficiency
3. Reputation for reliability
4. Sleek looks
5. Numerous sporty accessories
2009 Lexus GS 450h (MSRP $56,400)
Want to know the best way to survive an accident? Avoid it altogether. That seems to have been the thinking behind the Lexus GS 450h and the plethora of stability, traction and braking control systems that Toyota’s luxury brand has incorporated into its luxurious hybrid sports sedan under the title of Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM).
Numerous sensors throughout the car measure in real time things like the driver’s inputs (steering, braking, etc.) along with a slew of dynamic parameters (the car’s speed, amount the steering wheel is turned, etc.) to act as an electronic guardian angel, ensuring that the car remains firmly planted to the road. The VDIM system can brake wheels individually, ease off of the throttle and even provide subtle steering assistance to help the driver maintain control on slippery roads. And should the driver accidentally (or intentionally) give the engine too much throttle, the car’s traction control system will sense this in a split second and help prevent excessive wheelspin for maximum grip.
Five Reasons to Buy:
1. High quality, inside and out
2. Sumptuous surroundings
3. Good fuel economy for horsepower
4. Quick acceleration
5. Seating for 5
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Photos: Automotive Safety Meets Stylish Design
