Auto Safety Blog #10: Get Help Keeping Safe: Accident Avoidance Systems
Written by Tuffy Pete   
Monday, 21 February 2011 19:37
lane departure systems and forward collision systems
We’ve all been guilty at one time or another of taking our eyes off the road for a few seconds only to find that when we look back our vehicle has drifted out of its lane a few inches.  Sometimes we are notified by the honking of horns and sometimes by the twisting of metal and screeching of tires. This experience may soon be just a memory for everyone.

The basics

Accident Avoidance Systems (AAS) are designed to help keep you safer on the road. There are two major types of AAS that we will discuss in this article: lane departure systems and forward collision systems.
Lane departure systems keep an eye on the objects surrounding the vehicle and let the driver know through visual and/or audio notification that the car is leaving its lane. Lane departure systems can use specialized cameras that surround the car or radar systems or a combination of the two. Some lane departure systems can selectively apply brakes to nudge the car back in its lane.

Forward collision systems use radar to determine speed of and distance to objects in front of the car. The systems can apply the brakes to avoid or lessen the impact of a collision. Sometimes this can make a big difference between a major collision and a minor fender bender.

Normal wear

Accident Avoidance Systems feature specialized sensors and cameras. These parts are electronic rather than mechanical in most cases, so they tend to have a long life.

What can go wrong

One major concern is that Accident Avoidance Systems can make drivers less attentive and more reliant on the electronics and sensors of the vehicle. This can cause carelessness behind the wheel. While there have been no major studies to substantiate this, it is a good idea to remain vigilant behind the wheel no matter what safety features your vehicle is equipped with.

Care and maintenance

Please be sure to follow all manufacturer’s recommended maintenance routines and have your systems checked frequently. Since these systems are still new, there may not be an established maintenance period, so be sure to ask the manufacturer or your local Tuffy when you should be maintaining your Accident Avoidance Systems.