A century of car safety

A CENTURY OF From the Ford Model T to the well-oiled SAFETY machines of today, the automobile has an illustrious history of evolution and reinvention. What was once a relatively slow-moving death machine has now become a lightning-fast safety bubble. Here, we take you on a century-long journey to O find out how and when each safety innovation came about–and how the cars of tomorrow will continue to keep you safe. Car Safety Advancements Over the Past 100 Years 1911 1919 1949 1958 The Rear- View Mirror Disc Brakes Windshield Wipers The Windshield Seatbelt Ford introduces the windshield. But The Chrysler Crown Imperial is the Volvo introduces the seat belt, soon acknowledged to be the most beneficial car safety The rear-view mirror is invented after because of the type of glass used, it is prone to shatter, resulting in injury for the driver. Ford quickly implements a stronger type of glass. By 1930 it first car to come with standard disc Indy car driver Ray Harroun sees another driver's girlfriend aid him by holding up a compact mirror. Harroun decides to attach a mirror in his car, and the rest is history. The rear-view mirror quickly became standard on all automobiles. brakes. Electric windshield wipers are also introduced at this time. feature of all time. became the standard windshield on all Ford cars. 1978 1968 1966 1960 Electronic ABS Head Restraints Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) Padded Dashboard In an attempt to protect the head and The Jensen FF, a boutique luxury sports car, boasts the first mechanical anti-lock brakes on a car. With the hopes of reducing injuries from frontal collisions, Volvo introduces a padded dashboard. The Mercedes-Benz S-class is introduced as the first production car with electronic ABS. neck in rear-end crashes, Volvo introduces a car with head restraints for those sitting in the front seats. UOLUO 1981 1983 1986 1994 Driver's Airbag Seat Belt Law Third Brake Light Crash Tests After 15 years of research, Wearing a seat belt is made mandatory for all UK drivers. Volvo introduces the high-level, third rear brake light to make braking drivers more visible to those European consumer organizations begin to conduct crash tests. These methods are later adopted by the Euro NCAP. Mercedes-Benz releases a vehicle with a driver's-side airbag. It ultimately became a standard feature on all cars. following behind. 2004 2002 2001 ***** 1996 ***** Intelligent Parking Assistant System Рop-Up Bonnets First 5-Star Rating Awarded Euro NCAP Established Toyota installs parking assist cameras in the Lexus and Prius. They're only released in Japan but will eventually become commonplace in cars around the world. Pop-up bonnets, designed to reduce injuries for pedestrians, are introduced. The Euro New Car Assessment Programme is established with the mission of crash testing and assessing the safety of European cars. The Euro NCAP awards its first-ever 5-star safety rating for occupant protection in the Renault Laguna II. cel 2009 2010 Collision Avoidance System Inflatable Seat Belts Luxury and tech-forward cars become fitted with technology that helps the Modelled after airbag technology, Ford introduces a seat belt that inflates in order to spread the impact to five driver avoid a collision. These progressive systems include forward collision warning, autonomous braking, lane departure warning and prevention, adaptive headlights, and blind-spot detection. times more area of the body, providing significantly more protection than a conventional seat belt. THE SAFETY FEATURES OF TOMORROW Skidding Airbags: Mercedes-Benz is developing a system where in the event of a collision, an airbag deploys beneath the tire, acting like an anchor that will cause it to slow down at a rate of more than 20 metres per second. Expanding Door Beams: Upon detection of impact to the side of a car, a steel door beam expands in order to take the brunt of the impact. SOURCES: POPULARMECHANICS.COM, OLDCARBROCHURES.COM, DRIVERSTECHNOLOGY.CO.UK, ALLPAR.COM, EURONCAP.COM Confused.com A CENTURY OF From the Ford Model T to the well-oiled SAFETY machines of today, the automobile has an illustrious history of evolution and reinvention. What was once a relatively slow-moving death machine has now become a lightning-fast safety bubble. Here, we take you on a century-long journey to O find out how and when each safety innovation came about–and how the cars of tomorrow will continue to keep you safe. Car Safety Advancements Over the Past 100 Years 1911 1919 1949 1958 The Rear- View Mirror Disc Brakes Windshield Wipers The Windshield Seatbelt Ford introduces the windshield. But The Chrysler Crown Imperial is the Volvo introduces the seat belt, soon acknowledged to be the most beneficial car safety The rear-view mirror is invented after because of the type of glass used, it is prone to shatter, resulting in injury for the driver. Ford quickly implements a stronger type of glass. By 1930 it first car to come with standard disc Indy car driver Ray Harroun sees another driver's girlfriend aid him by holding up a compact mirror. Harroun decides to attach a mirror in his car, and the rest is history. The rear-view mirror quickly became standard on all automobiles. brakes. Electric windshield wipers are also introduced at this time. feature of all time. became the standard windshield on all Ford cars. 1978 1968 1966 1960 Electronic ABS Head Restraints Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) Padded Dashboard In an attempt to protect the head and The Jensen FF, a boutique luxury sports car, boasts the first mechanical anti-lock brakes on a car. With the hopes of reducing injuries from frontal collisions, Volvo introduces a padded dashboard. The Mercedes-Benz S-class is introduced as the first production car with electronic ABS. neck in rear-end crashes, Volvo introduces a car with head restraints for those sitting in the front seats. UOLUO 1981 1983 1986 1994 Driver's Airbag Seat Belt Law Third Brake Light Crash Tests After 15 years of research, Wearing a seat belt is made mandatory for all UK drivers. Volvo introduces the high-level, third rear brake light to make braking drivers more visible to those European consumer organizations begin to conduct crash tests. These methods are later adopted by the Euro NCAP. Mercedes-Benz releases a vehicle with a driver's-side airbag. It ultimately became a standard feature on all cars. following behind. 2004 2002 2001 ***** 1996 ***** Intelligent Parking Assistant System Рop-Up Bonnets First 5-Star Rating Awarded Euro NCAP Established Toyota installs parking assist cameras in the Lexus and Prius. They're only released in Japan but will eventually become commonplace in cars around the world. Pop-up bonnets, designed to reduce injuries for pedestrians, are introduced. The Euro New Car Assessment Programme is established with the mission of crash testing and assessing the safety of European cars. The Euro NCAP awards its first-ever 5-star safety rating for occupant protection in the Renault Laguna II. cel 2009 2010 Collision Avoidance System Inflatable Seat Belts Luxury and tech-forward cars become fitted with technology that helps the Modelled after airbag technology, Ford introduces a seat belt that inflates in order to spread the impact to five driver avoid a collision. These progressive systems include forward collision warning, autonomous braking, lane departure warning and prevention, adaptive headlights, and blind-spot detection. times more area of the body, providing significantly more protection than a conventional seat belt. THE SAFETY FEATURES OF TOMORROW Skidding Airbags: Mercedes-Benz is developing a system where in the event of a collision, an airbag deploys beneath the tire, acting like an anchor that will cause it to slow down at a rate of more than 20 metres per second. Expanding Door Beams: Upon detection of impact to the side of a car, a steel door beam expands in order to take the brunt of the impact. SOURCES: POPULARMECHANICS.COM, OLDCARBROCHURES.COM, DRIVERSTECHNOLOGY.CO.UK, ALLPAR.COM, EURONCAP.COM Confused.com