Post by Bozur on Jan 13, 2006 1:40:32 GMT -5
Autos on Monday / Technology: Brakes That Pay Attention When the Driver Doesn't
Author: TARA BAUKUS MELLO (NYT)
Pasadena, Calif.
AFTER years of concentrating their efforts on reducing injuries caused by collisions, auto engineers are increasingly turning their attention to what happens in the moments before an impact.
Stability control systems have become ever more capable of catching spins before they end in a crash; brakes can now be programmed to recognize panic stops and apply maximum force for hesitant drivers. BMW's "active steering" will counter a driver's overly aggressive moves at the steering wheel in an emergency maneuver, and Infiniti offers a system that warns when the car is drifting toward an adjacent lane - and a possible fender-bender.
Some luxury cars already have systems that put the car into protective mode when sensors indicate a collision is imminent - cinching down seat belts, closing the sunroof and windows. Automakers are proposing computers that decide how aggressively to act based on how closely the driver is paying attention to the road.
In a demonstration drive held on a parking-lot test course here, I tried one of the newest safety technologies: brakes that apply on their own when a crash seems likely.
As I accelerated the 2006 Acura RL toward a target - a foam rear bumper attached by a long bracket to the side of a moving car - my senses told me I was closing in too quickly. A series of warnings - part of what Acura calls a collision mitigation braking system - activated, first alerting me to the danger with a warning tone and a flashing light on the dashboard, then gently tugging the driver's seat belt. Finally, the system applied the brakes forcefully to slow the car. It all happened with no action required by me to prevent a (simulated) rear collision.
Rear-end collisions are a logical starting point for any effort at reducing accidents: of the 6.2 million crashes reported in the United States during 2004, more than 20 percent were rear impacts, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Acura's system, like others that act pre-emptively, takes advantage of onboard computers already in the car to control features like antilock brakes and pretensioners that pull seat belts taut in a collision.
The common denominator of all the pre-emptive systems is an advanced feature called adaptive cruise control. Unlike conventional speed controls, which are designed simply to hold a steady speed, adaptive controls can also maintain a set distance to cars ahead. The car speeds up or slows down in response to measurements from a laser or radar unit.
Taking advantage of the adaptive cruise control technology and hardware, the pre-emptive safety systems use existing sensors to monitor cars or even stationary objects in the vehicle's path, continuously evaluating the possibility of a collision.
Mercedes-Benz was the first automaker to feature a pre-emptive safety system in the United States. Its S-Class luxury sedans were equipped for 2003 with a system it called Pre-Safe, which took action milliseconds before a crash to reel in any slack in the seat belts, close the sunroof and adjust the seat to place the occupant in the safest position.
The next generation of the Mercedes system adds functions: it closes the side windows and gives the driver full braking power the moment the brakes are applied, increasing the pressure if they are not applied with enough force to prevent a collision. It will be standard equipment in the 2007 S-Class, which goes on sale next month.
The Lexus Pre-Collision System operates much the same way. When it senses an imminent collision, it retracts the seat belts and primes the brake system so that full braking power will be available immediately. The system is an option on the Lexus LS and GS models.
Infiniti also offers two pre-emptive safety features on some of its vehicles. Pre-Crash seat belts, which retract prior to a collision, are standard on M and Q-series sedans. Preview Braking, which uses cruise control sensors to identify potential crash situations, primes the brakes to assure that maximum stopping power is immediately available. It is optional on the M, Q and FX models.
Acura's system is the only one that will automatically apply the brakes without driver intervention. An option on the 2006 RL, the system uses a radar unit in the grille to continuously monitor the rate at which the car is closing in on a vehicle ahead, up to 300 feet away. When sensors determine that a collision is likely, the electronics begin a three-stage procedure.
First, a warning lamp that says "brake" flashes on the dashboard, directly below the speedometer, and a warning tone rings through the audio system. If the distance between the two vehicles does not increase, the system begins a second stage of actions, applying the brakes lightly while an electric pretensioner takes the slack out of the driver's seat belt with a gentle warning tug. If this is still not enough to prevent the crash, the system's third stage will forcefully retract both front seat belts and apply stronger braking to reduce the car's speed.
While it will not bring the vehicle to a complete stop on its own, the system will apply about 75 percent of the car's braking capacity. Acura has asked insurance companies to consider offering discounts to owners of RL's with the system, said William Walton, a product planner at Acura.
While pre-emptive safety systems are now offered on only a few vehicles, they are expected to become more available. Mike Thoeny, an engineer at Delphi, the automotive supplier, said the company was working with several automakers to develop new applications, including systems that use a camera to differentiate moving objects from stationary ones.
By the end of the decade, Mr. Thoeny said, pre-emptive safety systems will also monitor the driver and tailor responses based on alertness, issuing a warning sooner if the driver's eyes are not on the road. Lexus showed just such a concept at the Tokyo auto show in October.
"We have this technologically ready today," Mr. Thoeny said. "It's simply a matter of integrating it into the vehicle."
Author: TARA BAUKUS MELLO (NYT)
Pasadena, Calif.
AFTER years of concentrating their efforts on reducing injuries caused by collisions, auto engineers are increasingly turning their attention to what happens in the moments before an impact.
Stability control systems have become ever more capable of catching spins before they end in a crash; brakes can now be programmed to recognize panic stops and apply maximum force for hesitant drivers. BMW's "active steering" will counter a driver's overly aggressive moves at the steering wheel in an emergency maneuver, and Infiniti offers a system that warns when the car is drifting toward an adjacent lane - and a possible fender-bender.
Some luxury cars already have systems that put the car into protective mode when sensors indicate a collision is imminent - cinching down seat belts, closing the sunroof and windows. Automakers are proposing computers that decide how aggressively to act based on how closely the driver is paying attention to the road.
In a demonstration drive held on a parking-lot test course here, I tried one of the newest safety technologies: brakes that apply on their own when a crash seems likely.
As I accelerated the 2006 Acura RL toward a target - a foam rear bumper attached by a long bracket to the side of a moving car - my senses told me I was closing in too quickly. A series of warnings - part of what Acura calls a collision mitigation braking system - activated, first alerting me to the danger with a warning tone and a flashing light on the dashboard, then gently tugging the driver's seat belt. Finally, the system applied the brakes forcefully to slow the car. It all happened with no action required by me to prevent a (simulated) rear collision.
Rear-end collisions are a logical starting point for any effort at reducing accidents: of the 6.2 million crashes reported in the United States during 2004, more than 20 percent were rear impacts, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Acura's system, like others that act pre-emptively, takes advantage of onboard computers already in the car to control features like antilock brakes and pretensioners that pull seat belts taut in a collision.
The common denominator of all the pre-emptive systems is an advanced feature called adaptive cruise control. Unlike conventional speed controls, which are designed simply to hold a steady speed, adaptive controls can also maintain a set distance to cars ahead. The car speeds up or slows down in response to measurements from a laser or radar unit.
Taking advantage of the adaptive cruise control technology and hardware, the pre-emptive safety systems use existing sensors to monitor cars or even stationary objects in the vehicle's path, continuously evaluating the possibility of a collision.
Mercedes-Benz was the first automaker to feature a pre-emptive safety system in the United States. Its S-Class luxury sedans were equipped for 2003 with a system it called Pre-Safe, which took action milliseconds before a crash to reel in any slack in the seat belts, close the sunroof and adjust the seat to place the occupant in the safest position.
The next generation of the Mercedes system adds functions: it closes the side windows and gives the driver full braking power the moment the brakes are applied, increasing the pressure if they are not applied with enough force to prevent a collision. It will be standard equipment in the 2007 S-Class, which goes on sale next month.
The Lexus Pre-Collision System operates much the same way. When it senses an imminent collision, it retracts the seat belts and primes the brake system so that full braking power will be available immediately. The system is an option on the Lexus LS and GS models.
Infiniti also offers two pre-emptive safety features on some of its vehicles. Pre-Crash seat belts, which retract prior to a collision, are standard on M and Q-series sedans. Preview Braking, which uses cruise control sensors to identify potential crash situations, primes the brakes to assure that maximum stopping power is immediately available. It is optional on the M, Q and FX models.
Acura's system is the only one that will automatically apply the brakes without driver intervention. An option on the 2006 RL, the system uses a radar unit in the grille to continuously monitor the rate at which the car is closing in on a vehicle ahead, up to 300 feet away. When sensors determine that a collision is likely, the electronics begin a three-stage procedure.
First, a warning lamp that says "brake" flashes on the dashboard, directly below the speedometer, and a warning tone rings through the audio system. If the distance between the two vehicles does not increase, the system begins a second stage of actions, applying the brakes lightly while an electric pretensioner takes the slack out of the driver's seat belt with a gentle warning tug. If this is still not enough to prevent the crash, the system's third stage will forcefully retract both front seat belts and apply stronger braking to reduce the car's speed.
While it will not bring the vehicle to a complete stop on its own, the system will apply about 75 percent of the car's braking capacity. Acura has asked insurance companies to consider offering discounts to owners of RL's with the system, said William Walton, a product planner at Acura.
While pre-emptive safety systems are now offered on only a few vehicles, they are expected to become more available. Mike Thoeny, an engineer at Delphi, the automotive supplier, said the company was working with several automakers to develop new applications, including systems that use a camera to differentiate moving objects from stationary ones.
By the end of the decade, Mr. Thoeny said, pre-emptive safety systems will also monitor the driver and tailor responses based on alertness, issuing a warning sooner if the driver's eyes are not on the road. Lexus showed just such a concept at the Tokyo auto show in October.
"We have this technologically ready today," Mr. Thoeny said. "It's simply a matter of integrating it into the vehicle."