Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: NHTSA to mandate lane departure warning and auto-brake systems?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/03/report-nhtsa-to-mandate-lane-departure-warning-and-auto-brake-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/03/report-nhtsa-to-mandate-lane-departure-warning-and-auto-brake-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/03/report-nhtsa-to-mandate-lane-departure-warning-and-auto-brake-s/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about to add some more safety measures to your next new car? According to The Detroit News, they might be. The Motown daily says that government officials are pondering whether or not they should require new vehicles to be fitted with lane-departure warning systems and automatic braking systems that trigger upon warning of an impending accident. Both systems are currently available only in very small percentage of new passenger cars - primarily luxury vehicles. According to the DetNews report, safety experts believe that the systems "show significant promise" in their ability to reduce traffic accident-related fatalities and injuries.

NHTSA will decide whether to require such systems in 2011 after further cost-benefit analysis, including looking at insurance company data and estimated manufacturing costs. It has already added new components to its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) for 2011 vehicles, including a test that measures the effectiveness of lane-departure warning systems and a different frontal-crash program.

NHTSA hopes to announce its findings by the end of the year.

[Source: The Detroit News]

REPORT: NHTSA to mandate lane departure warning and auto-brake systems? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto safetyAutoSafetybike absBikeAbscar safetyCarSafetylane departurelane departure warningLaneDepartureLaneDepartureWarningmotorcycle absMotorcycleAbsNCAPnew car assessment programNewCarAssessmentProgramnhtsaFri, 03 Jul 2009 13:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Are cars too safe to be... safe?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/01/are-cars-too-safe-to-be-safe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/01/are-cars-too-safe-to-be-safe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/01/are-cars-too-safe-to-be-safe/#commentsFiled under:

Rescue toolsImmense amounts of money, research, effort, time, and science have gone into making cars safer. Your economy car is so safe now that you'll survive an accident with a larger vehicle. But it's also so safe now that the traditional blades, jaws, and saws that fire departments would use to extricate you are no longer strong enough to get through the car's metal.

There are also myriad other features lurking in a car's bodywork that can do more damage than the accident. Rescuers need to make sure they don't cut the pressurized gas canisters that would inflate an airbag, or the battery cables in a hybrid. Once in the car, they need to make sure they don't do something that will make the airbag suddenly go off if it hasn't already. It has meant that rescuers first need to peel back the car's shell to see what's beneath before they begin digging out the passengers.

All this has added time to the rescue effort, which might mean the difference between staying here or checking out the hereafter. It's also ballooned budgets, as crews need to buy the equipment they need to get the job done. Maybe carmakers should start making the tools necessary to break their cars open in an accident. The Jaguar Jaws of Life, anyone? Thanks for the tip, JaysonAych!

[Source: AP]

Are cars too safe to be... safe? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accident rescueAccidentRescueaccidentscar safetyCarSafetycollisionsjaws of lifeJawsOfLifesafetySat, 01 Mar 2008 16:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Forbes names the 20 Most Dangerous Vehicles for sale today]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/27/forbes-names-the-20-most-dangerous-vehicles-for-sale-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/27/forbes-names-the-20-most-dangerous-vehicles-for-sale-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/27/forbes-names-the-20-most-dangerous-vehicles-for-sale-today/#commentsFiled under:



Tiger, you should be ashamed pushing that beastly Buick Rendezvous on an unsuspecting public. Not only was it little more than a warmed-over minivan trying to look hip, Forbes says it's possibly the most dangerous new vehicle for sale today. Luckily for all the uninformed car shoppers out there, the Rendezvous and several others, like the Ford Ranger, on the list won't be on sale much longer.

Forbes took many factors into consideration when deciding what constituted a dangerous vehicle. Instead of using only crash test data or fatality statistics, the magazine also looked at safety equipment and Consumer Reports' accident avoidance ratings.

Lots of weight was given to standard safety equipment which is what damned vaunted nameplates like Toyota's Matrix, Chrysler's PT Cruiser and Ford's Focus. But at least those cars have optional side air bags, Suzuki's Reno and Forenza don't even offer them as optional equipment.

There were some surprises, though. Forbes praises the Honda S2000 for having admirable crash test results and superior handling that could help in crash avoidance, but puts it on the list anyway for not having standard side air bags.

Check out the story and entire list here.

[Source: Forbes]

Forbes names the 20 Most Dangerous Vehicles for sale today originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automotive safetyAutomotiveSafetycar safetyCarSafetydangerous vehiclesDangerousVehiclesmost dangerous carmost dangerous carsMostDangerousCarMostDangerousCarssafest carSafestCarFri, 27 Jul 2007 11:35:00 EST<![CDATA[The auto safe]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/18/the-auto-safe/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/18/the-auto-safe/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/18/the-auto-safe/#commentsFiled under: ,

This is the kind of black box we want in our cars... GizMag brought to our attention a physical security device (read: safe) that prevents opportunistic smash-and-grab theft that occurs sometimes when thieves see so much as a PDA cable or cell phone charger. The AutoSafe hooks into your vehicle via a wire rope cable that can attach to a chassis-mounted seat base, seat hinges or baby seat fixing points so you don't have to run and get your drill. AutoSafe comes in various sizes, from smaller ones that fit an MP3 player, PDA or pharmaceuticals to larger ones that can fit an entire laptop bag.

The safes span in price from $100 to $300 depending upon their size.

[Source: AutoSafe via GizMag]

The auto safe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Sep 2006 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autosafecar safetyCarSafetyipodlaptopmp3pdasmash and grab theftSmashAndGrabTheftMon, 18 Sep 2006 15:48:00 EST