The Evolution of Automobile Safety Technology

The Evolution of AUTOMOBILE SAFETY TECHNOLOGY 1891 1934 Engineer James Lambert drives his invention into a tree root, hitting another vehicle and causing the first recorded car accident Citroen introduces the unibody design, improving structural integrity and impact absorption during impact The first anti-glare manual tilt day/night mirrors are introduced 1939 Buick offers factory-installed flashing turn signals for their vehicles 1951 More patents are issued for automobile safety features than ever before American John W. Hetrick is credited with the invention of the airbag 1953 Mercedes-Benz introduces the first crumple zones, designed to protect passengers by absorbing crash energy during impact 1959 Volvo invents the three-point (lap and shoulder) seat belt and shares their discovery with other auto makers 1967 Engineer Allen K. Breed discovers that a small explosion of sodium azide, rather than compressed air, can inflate an airbagin just 30 milliseconds Collapsible steering columns are invented by Bela Barenyi and introduced in the 1959 Mercedes-Benz W111 1970 1986 Daimler-Benz enhances handling safety by introducingthe first generation anti-lock braking system (ABS) for cars, trucks and buses All vehicles in US & Canada are required to have a center high mount brake light ABS 1998 2000 Mercedes-Benz is the first automobile manufacturer to make electronic brake assist standard on all their vehicles Mercedes-Benz debuts lane departure warning systems on their commercial, trucks 2004 2007 Volvo premieres the first ever driver fatigue alarm called Driver Alert Control Volvo invents BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), which uses cameras to monitor blind spots and warn drivers ifanother vehicle enters these zones 2014 Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology begins serious testing in North America Could act as an early warning system for nearby threats such as speeding cars, and also make drivers aware if another vehicle isin their blind spot This wireless technology will allow vehicles to exchange data about speed, direction of travel, braking and location Hey man, you turning? Nah, driver just left the signal on. f y in 8* e You CATI 1-866-994-2284 519-220-1650 www.cati.ca