As I was driving the other day, I noticed a car parallel parking and thought to myself that the driver was good. The parking was done in one shot and the vehicle was spaced almost perfectly – a little too perfectly. Driving closer I saw that the vehicle and not the driver actually did the parking. This made me think of all the amazing gadgets that are available on vehicles, many designed to keep us safe, but I wondered if we have become too reliant on the technology that can literally drive our lives.
As with most technology, enhanced vehicle cabin safety, (beyond the standard seat belts), started out rather simple. First we had the automatic seat belt, introduced in the late ’70s in response to federal regulations. In the early ’90s, first generation airbags were introduced in many passenger vehicles. Although they weren’t available commercially until the ’90s, airbags have been in development since 1941 with the first patent applications being submitted in the early 50’s.
Back-up alarms were early enhancements that prevented collisions with people by alerting them of the approaching vehicles, although they are no longer available on many passenger models because of concerns over long-term hearing effects to those close to the vehicle while they were activated.
For several years the safety features of vehicle cabins were pretty much the standard seatbelts, airbags, and back-up alarms. Airbags themselves became more advanced as time went on because first generation ones were known to cause injury. However, not having airbags was a risk as well, especially to rear-seat passengers. Studies found that half of all injuries to rear seat occupants were caused by either the head impacting the front seat or high loading to the thorax by the seat belt. So the goal was to protect rear-seat passengers, which was a challenge because the range of occupant ages and sizes – from child to adult – is greater in the rear seat. The solution was more advanced airbags as well as curtain airbags and roof-mounted (or “bag-in-roof”) technology, which protected all passengers, regardless of size or weight.
More recent safety options on vehicles include cameras, either on the dash, over the rear-view mirror, or mounted to the back of the vehicle that act as an extra set of eyes. There are also sensors that activate various systems to stop a vehicle in order to prevent collisions; adaptable airbags that can sense body size and vent unneeded air during a crash; and adaptable headlights that turn along with the car, allowing the driver to better see upcoming hazards when taking curves and may also amplify light production, making it easier to drive at night. Some vehicles also have windshield-clearing assistance that automatically heats windshield wiper blades and washer fluid when the temperature drops and some vehicles have tire pressure alert systems, which in addition to alerting the driver when tire pressure needs adjusting, offers guidance when air is added by honking the car horn when the ideal psi is reached.
In addition to safety options, there are some cool new features available on vehicles, including the aforementioned self-parking devices, and self-driving technology, which some say will be a reality by 2020. Google has recently filed several patents to keep the company in the lead in the race to develop a fully autonomous vehicle.
Although I think that self-driving technology is cool, I still have reservations about a fully autonomous vehicle and believe that someone who can effectively take control of the vehicle needs to be present at all times. However, I will follow the technology and see where it leads as I’m not totally dismissing the idea.
Vehicle safety has evolved and continues to evolve. As long as innovation is balanced with safety and we do not allow ourselves to become too dependent on vehicle technology, we will continue to see and experience the benefits of the evolution.\
Born in Nashua, Brian Chicoine spent his early years in Raymond before moving to Manchester at the age of 9. A few years after graduating from West High School, Brian moved to Providence to complete his undergraduate degree at Rhode Island College. After college Brian got married then he and his new wife Jackie spent a little more than five years in New Hampshire, where their two boys were born. The Chicoine family then returned to Jackie’s home state of Rhode Island and have been living there since. Brian has merged his passion for entrepreneurship and innovation with his love of new and bold ideas to bring fresh perspectives on the way things are done. Brian, Jackie, and their two boys currently live in Rhode Island, but their hearts are in New Hampshire.
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