This is the safest way to drive in the future

    The automotive industry is no longer a traditional industrial classification. A large number of high-tech elements have been continuously applied to it. It is well known that the technology giant Google is developing driverless cars, and new energy vehicles like Tesla also have an inseparable relationship with the field of technology. In fact, in addition to various high-tech companies, traditional automobile manufacturers have also become more and more concerned about the application of technology in their products. In addition to designing more beautiful and more powerful models, they also hope to use technology to bring more guarantees to the car in the process of form.

    According to the latest statistics from the United Nations, the number of people killed in traffic accidents worldwide has exceeded 1 million each year, and the number of people killed in traffic accidents in China in 2014 exceeded 60,000. Among all the causes of traffic accidents, speeding, drunk driving, and not following traffic rules and signals have become the main causes. If the frequency of traffic accidents can be reduced by adding various high-tech equipment to cars, then this is very good news for car manufacturers, technology giants and ordinary consumers.

    In recent years, with the rise of mobile Internet and the Internet of Things, more and more automakers have begun to cooperate with technology companies to continuously develop new technologies or products that make driving safer. So what new technologies will improve safety from different aspects? Let's take a look.

Car body warning anti-scratch

    In most cities, it is not uncommon for cars and bicycles to run side by side or even share the same lane. Bicycles are at an absolute disadvantage in car collisions, so many manufacturers have been trying to make drivers pay attention to the location of bicycles around them to reduce the occurrence of accidents.

    Jaguar Land Rover recently developed a safety system called "Bike Sense" that uses sensors to monitor all areas around the car and distinguish between cyclists and motorcycles. When their presence is detected, the system uses light, sound and tactile feedback in different areas of the car to let the driver know their location.

    Bike Sense can instruct the car's audio system to play the sound of a bicycle bell or motorcycle horn to let the driver know where the cyclist is. The use of this universal sound allows the driver's brain to immediately recognize the current situation without having to process what the sound represents.

    If a bike tries to overtake, the system uses haptic feedback to "tap" the driver's shoulder to remind them to look to one side of the car. Then, the LED light matrix illuminates the corresponding part of the car with yellow and red light to indicate the bike's crossing. Even when the driver stops, Bike Sense continues to work in case anything rushes over. In addition to light and sound reminders, it can also make the door handles vibrate and sound warnings.

Transparent car body with no blind spots

    When it comes to augmented reality technology, the first thing that comes to mind is its application in the field of games or entertainment. If it is applied to the automotive field, it can also save our lives. Recently, researchers from Keio University in Japan are developing a new concept design of a "transparent car". This system makes full use of augmented reality technology to solve the blind spot problem encountered by drivers during driving. Whether it is the door, window, roof or chassis, all key information can be presented to the driver in a "transparent" way, which makes it easier for people to make early predictions to avoid accidents and even save their own and others' lives.

    The idea is simple in theory: cameras mounted on the outside of the car record everything around it, then project the images into the car through projectors mounted on the doors or at the foot, creating the illusion that the entire car is transparent.

    The whole system uses a reflective projection technology called RPT, which is a new type of screen. RPT can solve many technical problems that traditional screens or projections cannot face. It is composed of 50 glass beads reflecting light from the same axis, which is expected to help present the images captured by the camera in 3D. In addition, this screen can be projected on any surface without obstacles, so it can adapt to any layout in the car, including doors and seats. Adding a translucent reflector to the RPT can solve all irregular surfaces.

    According to the researchers, this form allows the driver to view the outside conditions in a more natural way, rather than presenting all the images on the car dashboard. However, whether this design will cause too much distraction to the driver during driving requires further testing.

Smart rearview mirror does not block the view

    Friends who drive frequently have encountered the phenomenon of rearview mirror glare. Although anti-glare rearview mirrors are now popular, Japanese car manufacturer Nissan has brought more safety features through its own smart rearview mirror system.

    It is reported that the built-in LCD display of this rearview mirror is designed to improve the visibility of the rearview mirror. When driving, if there are adverse effects such as strong light, bad weather, and obstacles in the back seat, the rearview mirror often cannot see what is behind clearly. In order to solve this problem, Nissan has created an intelligent rearview mirror. If you can't see clearly on the mirror surface of the rearview mirror for various reasons, the driver only needs to switch to the LED mirror mode, and the picture captured by the camera will appear on the rearview mirror, and the problem will be solved directly by the camera. The driver can freely choose to switch between the traditional rearview mirror and the high-tech rearview mirror during driving.

     Passengers sitting in the back row, luggage, etc. will affect the driver's view of the rear of the car through the rearview mirror, but the camera installed behind the rear windshield does not have such a problem. The viewing angle of Nissan's smart rearview mirror is 50 degrees, which is much higher than that of traditional rearview mirrors.

    The Nissan Smart Rearview Mirror is equipped with a 1.3-megapixel camera and an LCD screen with an aspect ratio of 4:1. With a switch at the bottom, the Nissan Smart Rearview Mirror can easily switch between the LCD screen and the ordinary rearview mirror. Users can also set parameters such as image brightness through buttons.

    In addition, Nissan's smart rearview mirror also uses a lot of image processing technology. In dimly lit environments, such as at night or in unlit parking lots, the image brightness will be increased to improve visibility; if there is a car in front with its headlights on, the system will automatically adjust the image to ensure that the driver's vision is not affected.

Automatically identify signals and avoid running red lights

    In traffic accidents, failure to comply with traffic signal rules is also one of the major causes. Therefore, if you can comply with traffic signals, I believe that many accidents can be avoided.

    German car manufacturer Audi recently proposed an intelligent traffic light recognition system, which is very forward-looking. The car's on-board network can be connected to the city's central traffic light network, so as to receive traffic light information in real time and provide drivers with a better driving experience.

    For example, if the driver has encountered a red light, the dashboard can display the remaining time, and at the same time, when the light turns green, the starting mode with the lowest fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions can be turned on; of course, it can also avoid congested roads according to the traffic lights and provide smoother navigation road suggestions. Audi said that this technology can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15% and is expected to be equipped in the latest A8 models in the future.

Automatically maintain distance to avoid rear-end collision

    Google's self-driving car may still be immature, but it does suggest a future direction, and major automakers have also developed similar systems. Manufacturers such as Audi and Subaru have begun to equip their models with adaptive cruise control systems based on radar sensors. The radar's precise perception can be used to determine the position of other vehicles. If the vehicle is too close, the brake system will automatically start to maintain the distance between the vehicles, greatly improving safety.

    The benefit of this system is not only to deal with the hidden dangers of sudden situations on highways, but also to effectively reduce the phenomenon of fatigue driving in cities. Even if there is traffic congestion, drivers will no longer be troubled by frequently stepping on the accelerator and brake. The only problem is that this system is expensive and currently only appears in some high-end and high-end models. It will take some time for it to become popular.

Adaptive LED headlights do not dazzle

    When driving in the countryside without street lights, everyone needs to turn on the high beam to see the situation ahead clearly. However, the high beam is too concentrated and bright, which can easily cause trouble to other drivers. One of the most annoying things for friends who often drive is that oncoming cars do not turn off the high beam when meeting them and dazzle them. At the same time, they are also prone to such situations, which bring inconvenience to others and even cause danger.

    Japanese automaker Mazda has introduced the new ALH "Adaptive LED Array Headlight" technology. The adaptive beam technology divides the LED light group of the headlight into four independent control modules, detects oncoming and front vehicles through a camera, and then disables the lighting of the LED lights in a specific direction, effectively avoiding the trouble of high beams to others and the trouble of constantly switching between high and low beams for the driver.

    The new intelligent LED headlights can realize the road ahead but not directly illuminate the vehicle in front, which means you can keep the high beam on without affecting other vehicles. Even for the low beam, engineers have improved the safety factor of driving by widening its wide angle of illumination, making it easier for drivers to distinguish pedestrians or animals on the roadside. In night mode, the headlights automatically level through motor adjustment, automatically increase the front illumination angle, illuminate the road signs and road obstacles ahead, and the driver can see the traffic signs earlier when driving at high speed.

Road conditions early warning is not dangerous

    In addition to the new technologies added by automakers during the car design phase, many technology companies have also launched car-specific accessories that allow users of older or mid- and low-end cars to enjoy a safer driving experience. For example, this smart driving assistant called CarVi recently appeared on Indiegogo, which can be installed on the windshield of the car and used in conjunction with our smartphones.

    When the driver is driving on the road, CarVi will continuously capture video, and the relevant application will analyze these videos in real time to help the driver to warn of dangers. For example, various dangerous behaviors such as sudden lane changes, potential collision dangers ahead, reckless driving, etc. can all be analyzed.

    In addition, CarVi can be used with iOS or Android smartphones to calibrate the camera through the App and display the vehicle's speed and position in real time. For many novice drivers, the presence of CarVi can further improve driving safety.

Smart helmets dodge bicycles

    Improving driving safety is not only about protecting drivers, but also about protecting vulnerable groups such as cyclists and pedestrians. Recently, Volvo, a well-known Swedish automobile manufacturer that has always taken safety as its brand purpose, demonstrated a safety helmet system designed specifically for cyclists.

    A survey shows that 50% of cyclists killed in accidents in Europe are caused by collisions with cars. In order to ensure the safety of cyclists, Volvo has jointly developed a safety helmet prototype with sports equipment manufacturer POC and Ericsson that can exchange information with sensors in surrounding cars.

    The sensors in the helmet and the car can send and receive safety signals to each other, so that the driver and the cyclist can know that the other is approaching. If a collision is about to happen, the safety system and the helmet in the car will transmit this data to the cloud and warn both parties in time. At this time, the driver will be able to see the warning information on the head-up display in the car, and at the same time the indicator light on the helmet will light up to remind the cyclist.

Bicycle taillight can record video

    In fact, in addition to adding high-tech to cars, cyclists themselves also need to take certain measures to make motor vehicle drivers pay attention to them and let them give way to them in advance. You know, if you accidentally collide with a motor vehicle, the bicycle is often the one that suffers the most.

    Sometimes, car drivers drive much better on roads with cameras than on roads without cameras. Although this is a bad habit, we can also make use of it. Two Australian cycling enthusiasts, Andrew Hagen and Kingsley Fiegert, designed a bicycle taillight called Fly6, which is special in that it has a camera. It can record everything that happens behind the cyclist. Their goal is to make bicycles more respected by cars with the help of cameras.

    For cyclists, accidents from behind are four times more deadly than accidents from the front, and this situation is even more serious for racers participating in competitions. Fly6 combines a high-definition camera with a bicycle taillight, which can not only provide turning or stopping prompts for bicycles or cars behind, but also allow users to obtain information about everything happening behind them. Fly6 also includes accidental capture protection technology. When a bicycle is tilted more than 45 degrees for more than 3 seconds in an accident, the software will take effect and turn off the camera after 1 hour, so that with 8GB of memory, there will be video footage one hour before and one hour after the accident.

    Fly6 can also be used as a taillight, with four brightness levels and two flashing options. The current prototype has a brightness of 10 lumens, and the designer hopes to increase it to 15 lumens. In addition, it can also be used as a black box recorder for bicycle riding.

Bicycle laser lights are more eye-catching at night

    In today's cities, there are more and more cars, and fewer and fewer lanes left for driving. Cycling in the city, especially at night, can be said to be full of dangers at all times. The previous device allowed the bicycle to warn the car behind, while this laser light can warn the vehicle in front.

    This bicycle-specific laser light called Blaze Laserlight can be installed on straight-moving vehicles. When there are oncoming motor vehicles or pedestrians, Blaze Laserlight can use high-brightness laser lights to remind them to ensure their safety. The developers hope to reduce this number through their products by allowing bicycles to project warning signals so that others can know in advance and have enough time to react.

    The Blaze Laserlight can be easily mounted on the handlebars and it can shoot a green laser 5-6 meters in front of the car. Even if others are in the blind spot, this green light will alert people to the approaching bicycle. The Blaze Laserlight is waterproof, rechargeable, USB compatible, and has a running time of up to 13 hours. In addition, it has an energy saving mode. In addition, its design is also very considerate, even wearing thick gloves, it can be used normally.

Summarize

    The progress of human civilization is always accompanied by a huge price. Although the emergence of transportation has greatly improved transportation capacity and communication space, it is also accompanied by the painful price of millions of people losing their lives in traffic accidents every year. Therefore, if it is possible to improve driving safety and protect the lives of drivers and pedestrians through technological means, it has become as important as improving car performance for technology companies and automobile manufacturers. Although some of the technologies introduced above have become a reality and some are still in the research and development stage, I believe that if they can be popularized all over the world one day in the future, they will bring happiness to more families.