collision-avoidance
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GM demos accident avoidance system with brains and long range
Collision avoidance systems aren't exactly exciting new news any more. But most of these systems, even the ones that jerk the wheel out of your hands, simply detect obstacles -- they don't talk to each other. GM's new prototype uses Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) to share data with other vehicles. The cars not only detect other motorists, but construction zones, police activity, and slowed or stopped traffic. Unlike a similar concept from Ford, GM doesn't just talk to cars in the immediate area, but can detect trouble up to a quarter mile down the road, offering plenty of warning time for you to change course or hit those breaks. We think the company's estimate that such a system could avoid 81-percent of crashes in the US is a tad optimistic though -- clearly they don't realize how big of jerks most drivers are.
Toyota's new crash-avoidance technology takes control of the wheel
Crash-avoidance technology in cars is hardly anything new, of course, but Toyota's gone a bit further than most with its latest effort. While complete details are still a bit light (including any word of an actual rollout to vehicles), the new system is said to use a combination of both front and rear cameras, and millimeter wave radar technology to detect pedestrians or obstacles that could lead to a crash. The real kicker, however, is that when the car does detect a possible collision, it actually takes control of the wheel to avoid it instead of just stopping the vehicle. What's more, that's just one new safety measure that Toyota recently showed off to reporters in Tokyo -- it's also working on things like a pop-up hood that could provide some additional protection in the event of a crash, and a steering wheel that can measure the driver's heartbeat and avoid a crash if they suffer a heart attack.
Continental readies stereo camera system for 'seeing' cars
The idea of cars preventing accidents before they happen isn't novel, but at the end of the day, collision detection systems are only as smart as the information being fed to them. That's the ethos behind Continental's new stereo camera system, which spots people, pets, and other objects in a vehicle's path, and measures their height, distance from the vehicle, and how they might be moving. This rig, which will be just another part of Continental's ContiGuard safety system, uses the difference in the lenses' optical paths to make these calculations -- so long as those obstacles are 20 to 30 meters (66 to 98 feet) away. The company also says the cameras are sharp enough to detect partially obscured objects, and claims accuracy within 20 to 30 centimeters (8 to 12 inches). No word on when it will be ready to ship seeing cars, though if the press release is any indication, German drivers are likely to get their test drive first.
Nissan shows off two more collision avoidance prototypes
Nissan has a knack for pumping out novel safety advancements every few months, and the latest two are in the same vein as a few previous efforts. Two new technologies, Side Collision Prevention and Back-up Collision Prevention, fit into the auto maker's Safety Shield concept to "help protect the vehicle and its occupants from potential risks coming from multiple directions." As for the first, the tech utilizes side-mounted sensors to activate a warning if an approaching vehicle is detected in the drivers intended lane; from there, a yaw mechanism is "activated through brake control of individual wheels to help prevent a potential collision." For the second, an array of sensors detect potential obstacles and triggers an alarm / puts on the brakes if a collision is about to happen. Per usual, there's no mention of when these brilliant ideas will be implemented into production vehicles, but our insurance bills are pleading for "soon." [Via Gizmag]