Imagine an automobile that senses when traffic is slowing and then stops the car when someone in front suddenly slams on their brake. Automatic crash-avoidance warning systems will be studied in Florida and five other states beginning in August. The Department of Transportation (DOT) program is called the Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Program, reports The New York Times, and ordinary drivers will be in cars fitted with the latest technology to see how both car and driver respond to hazard alerts and how effective the systems are in different driving conditions.
In all, 24 vehicles will be tested that have electronics installed premarket and after they are produced. The vehicles will be able to communicate electronically as well as sense the presence of a work zone and traffic lights. The drivers will handle the cars in a test course, not in open traffic. The Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership is a research organization collaborating with eight auto makers. The drivers are part of the research and their input will partially determine the success of the technology. The New York Times reports that the 2004 Lexus LS 430 sedan has a Pre-Collision System which uses radar to provide warnings and automatically brakes and monitors traffic.
While cars of the future no doubt will continue to have safety features, Florida drivers still need to be serious about safe driving and drive defensively. When a driver takes to the road and ignores all precautions and drives recklessly or distracted, a devastating injury can result from a serious accident.
The car accident lawyers in Jacksonville at Farah & Farah are here to help anyone who has been injured in an auto accident get their life back together. Call our law offices today to learn how we can help protect your legal rights.
Sources: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/transportation-department-to-test-collision-warning-systems/ and http://www.its.dot.gov/cicas/cicas_workshop.htm
