Don't drive blind
By: Jack Nerad for Driving Today
Date: 2004-04-22
They say, "What you don't know can't hurt you," but what you can't see certainly can hurt you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates nearly 830,000 vehicles will be damaged or destroyed this year because of blind-spot-related accidents. But an innovation in automobiles is allowing drivers to automatically detect what is in areas that used to be blind spots.
The new blind spot detection system uses radar sensors mounted behind the rear tires and in the rear exterior quarter panels. After receiving input from the radar sensors, a computer distinguishes whether there is another vehicle or other objects, such as street signs or trees, in the blind spot. If the computer senses another vehicle's presence, an alert light will appear in the rearview mirror.
Auto experts believe the blind spot system is just the beginning of accident prevention technology. The use of radar and optical sensors is expected to increase over the next several years providing drivers with electronic active accident avoidance systems. The new technology should make driving safer for everyone on the road and increase the capacity of our present highway system.
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