Car safety standards are being upgraded in India to match international benchmarks, which is expected to reduce accidents, injuries and fatalities. By October 2019, all cars will be mandatorily required to have dual airbags, ABS and reverse parking sensors, as part of standard equipment.
Cars will also have to pass new crash-test regulations to ensure safety of users in case of an accident. In the future, Advanced Driver Assist systems can also be made mandatory for all cars in India. Here’s a brief overview of other high-tech car safety systems that could be added to the mandatory list.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) – ESC provides improved car control when negotiating corners and slippery surfaces. It can apply brakes on individual wheels and regulate engine power to help the driver gain control of the vehicle. ESC utilizes many of the functions available under ABS. It can be introduced in current generation cars without carrying out major modifications.
Lane Keep Assist – This is an upgrade of the camera-based Lane Departure Warning system. Rather than just warning the driver about lane deviation, Lane Keep Assist can help the driver to keep the car in the desired lane. The system can also take control over the steering in case there’s a risk that the car will veer off the road entirely. Implementing this system will be a challenge in India since Lane Keep Assist system requires clear lane markings, which may not be available on all roads in the country.
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – Using advanced radar technology and camera-based sensors, AEB warns the driver about an impending collision. If the driver does not respond, the system applies the brakes automatically. This feature could be useful in low visibility conditions or when the driver may be distracted, drunk or sleepy.
Autonomous Emergency Steering – An upgrade of AEB, Autonomous Emergency Steering works by avoiding potential collision with another vehicle or object. It can sense situations when emergency braking may not be enough to avoid the collision. In such cases, the vehicle is automatically steered away to safety.
Anti-dazzle headlights – This technology utilizes camera-based sensors to detect the type and intensity of light radiating from oncoming vehicles. The system automatically adjusts its own light intensity and beam angle to avoid blinding other drivers. Anti-dazzle headlights utilize LED headlights and the system is quite costly as of now.
What other safety features you would like to have in your car? Let us know in the comments box below.