Computer driven cars?

Cars of today are safer in America than ever before. Are we moving toward computer-driven cars from the advances in computer-operated active safety features?

One of the top factors in choosing a new car is safety, according to J.D. Power's survey of new car buyers.

Manufacturer response to consumer demands and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) passenger protection mandates means safer cars for Americans.

Airbags
The current trend is adding more and smarter airbags. Even affordable sedans are offering a standard six airbags: Two front and four side curtain airbags. Luxury vehicles are doubling the effort with twelve.

New airbag offerings provide multi-stage deployment and passenger detection systems. In the event of a crash, airbags deploy only when a person occupies the seat and in stages for maximum injury protection.

NHTSA estimates airbags have saved nearly 22,500 lives since 1987.

Head restraints
Even lower speed crashes can produce whiplash-type head and neck injuries. Manufacturers offer most vehicles with active head restraints to prevent the backward motion of the head at impact.

While the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) reports quite a few models do not make their highest safety rating, the majority of American cars do.

Vehicle construction
The NHTSA has determined American vehicles have neared the safety ceiling for vehicle construction with the advances in alloys, crumple zones and modified cabin and roll cages.

Most vehicles introduced earn the highest safety rating offered by the NHTSA and IIHS. All vehicle safety construction changes have been made to obtain the NHTSA's five star rating and the IIHS's good rating.

Current research into roof construction will lead to a new NHTSA standard. The next frontier for vehicle safety is crash avoidance.

Vehicle stability
Under NHTSA mandate, all new vehicles must have electronic stability control by 2012. Computer-operated stability control could save as many as 10,000 lives per year and reduce single vehicle crashes by as much as 34 per cent.

Future technology
Since computers react faster than drivers, more active safety features rely on computers.

Lane departure warning systems are being added to some models for the NHTSA to research their efficacy before mandating their installation in all new vehicles.

More complex systems, like collision avoidance systems, are the first baby steps toward computer-driven cars. These vehicles anticipate crashes, close windows and sun roofs and preload brakes.

Slowing cars prior to impact reduces the severity of crashes. Closing of cabin openings, like sun roofs, increases the stability of the cabin, reducing injuries inside.

Read on to find out how these changes are making the safety ratings harder to attain and driving safer.

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Cold Weather Driving Safety

With the cold weather back, please drive safely!

Winter driving safety is as easy as following the three "P"s.

~ Prepare

1. Prepare for the winter season. Maintain you car to perform in cold conditions. Check the battery, windshield wipers and tire tread. Put no-freeze windshield wiper fluid in the washer reservoir. Check your antifreeze.

2. Stock your car with essentials in the event of a breakdown, bad road conditions or an accident:

Flashlight Jumper cables Flares Sand or cat litter Ice scrapers and snow brush Shovel Blankets

While the first three should always be in your trunk, the last three are winter necessities. Sand or cat litter will help you gain traction should you find your car on an icy road or parking lot.

When your car stalls, put on the hazard lights, put out flares and put on the dome light. Make sure other motorists can see you.

Ice scrapers are a necessity for clearing the windshield. Remember, ice builds up while you are parked in a lot, so you need scrapers in the car. Snow flying off the hood can stick to the windshield and refreeze into ice. Brush it off.

If you could not control the skid and ended up in a snow bank, you will need to dig out your tires, hence the shovel. If your car is stopped, use the shovel to be sure the exhaust is clear so you can stay in the car and be warm.

You know the heater works, so why carry blankets? If you are in an accident or the car breaks down, you cannot guarantee your heater will work. In freezing weather, hypothermia can grip you in as little as fifteen minutes.

3. Plan your route. Avoid areas where accidents occur on clear days, as they will be particularly dangerous in wintry conditions. If you must go through these areas, be overly cautious.

Plan how long it will take to get there and add ten minutes. No one will fire you for being early.

Check the weather. On days of snow, allow an extra minute per mile to account for other drivers who may not be as winter driving savvy. Leave earlier for sleet.

Let someone know your route and when you should arrive. If you are late, they can call for help for you.

4. Practice winter driving. If this is your first winter, you are uncomfortable on winter roads or you are inexperienced, drive during daylight in an empty, snow-covered parking lot. Get a feel for the way you car reacts to the conditions.

Steer into a skid. Turn your wheels into the skid. Pump standards brakes or apply constant pressure to anti-lock brakes. Practicing what to do when you skid on ice will help you calmly react if you skid on the road.

Know braking distances. Cars are harder to stop on water, snow and ice. Test how far it takes you to stop the car.

~ Protect

Protect yourself by buckling your seat belt. Use child safety seats and restraints properly. Never place a rear-facing infant car seat in front of an air bag. Keep children under twelve in the backseat, buckled up.

~ Prevent

1. You are the number one person to prevent an accident. Never mix alcohol or drugs with driving. If you are planning to drink, designate a sober driver.

2. Slow down and increase the distance between your car and other drivers. Watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists. Share the road courteously.

3. Avoid fatigue. Get plenty of rest. If driving long distances, stop every three hours. When you can, alternate drivers.

Driving safety is the responsibility of all drivers. Driving safely in winter does not have to be difficult.

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How safe is an efficient car?

Wanted: A safe, American-built vehicle with excellent fuel efficiency in 2015.

While this does not sound like a tall request, American automakers have been joined by Oriental and European giants, like Toyota and Volkswagen, in proclaiming they cannot make such a vehicle with a consumer-friendly price tag.

Mandated fuel economy

Proposed Federal fuel economy regulations aims to speed up the schedule for producing fuel efficient cars to combat oil consumption and carbon emissions. Manufacturers are on a slower paced plan.

Since 1975, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program have increased fuel economy in manufacturers' fleets to 27.5 miles per gallon (MPG). Current CAFE regulations are codified in United States Code Title 49, Sub. VI, Part C, Ch. 329. CAFE sets the fuel economy for each year, which increases annually 3.3 per cent.

The proposed amendment would increase that rate to 4.5 per cent. Passenger car and light truck MPG would be 31.6 by 2015.

Safety factor

Manufacturers are balking at the price tag for producing cars with this fuel efficiency. In order to preserve jobs and make a profit, they will need to price these cars above the reach of the average consumer.

No manufacturer has publicly commented it would sacrifice safety for fuel economy, although environmental impact statements (EIS) of current models profess body weight as the biggest deterrent to fuel economy.

Since 1950, manufacturers have striven to improve crashworthiness, the vehicle's ability to survive a crash with its occupants alive or unharmed. Internal safety advances include seat belts and air bags. While those do not impact fuel economy, advanced roll cages, the car's skeleton, are the heaviest components in the car. External advances included bumper systems and crumple zones. These have varied effects on the weight of the vehicle.

Uncrashworthy cars are a liability for owner and manufacturer. When cars do not survive crashes, occupants sue the owners of other vehicles and the auto maker who produced the unsafe car.

Practical fuel economy

Technological advances in fuel economy are the first attack in producing more fuel efficient cars. Manufacturers declare this avenue as exhausted: The engine cannot be more economical.

Aerodynamics are next. Vehicles have smoother lines to resist air drag. Consumers have rejected the most fuel efficient designs as undesirable, even though the cars are economical to drive and safer than most other designs.

There is an undeniable link between weight and crashworthiness. Will fuel economy standards lead to less crashworthy cars?

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Blog on the move....

Check out the new publications stemming from this blog....

Kids & Cars: Child Driveway Safety Tips

Vehicle Fires: Why They Happen & What to Do

Seat Belts on School Buses: Why the Law Should Change

Read more content by Ann Marie Dwyer by visiting any of these links. Comment on what you read! Add a tweet to your twitter about VA's Dream!

Just a look ahead...........

More money saving tips
More environmental tips
More consequences to rising prices

After that, I will be beginning an in depth look into the plight of rural America. Stay Tuned!

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When to replace your tires

Tires are the first line of defense for a driver and greatly affect fuel economy. Each of these indicators will let you know when to replace your tires.

1. Less than 7/32 of an inch of tread is left on the tire. Place a penny in the tread. The tread should reach past Lincoln's eyebrow.

2. You have exceeded the number of miles on the tire rating. Tires are rated to travel a finite number of miles as a maximum. Replace tires within 1,000 miles of the maximum rated mileage.

3. You can hear a rhythmic thump as you drive. This is often produced by a tire that is out of round, simply, has a hernia. The steel belting has been severed inside the tire, and the inner layer of rubber is placing pressure on the tread from the inside.

4. You develop a slow leak. If your tire pressure is low within a week of filling it to the correct pressure, you should have the tire checked. Punctures within 1 inch (25 mm) of the edge or in the side wall should never be repaired, as they can cause tire exposion during a blowout.

5. You develop a leak after placing a fixative tire inflater into your tire. If you tire is not at the correct pressure within one week of using a product, such as Fix-a-Flat or Re-Air, replace the tire because it is unable to be patched. The chemicals in the fixative keep the patch material from bonding properly to fix the tire.

Note: Americans will pay a fine for this tire, as after the fixative, it cannot be recycled by traditional methods.

5. You notice a wobbling in your steering. This is another sign that you may have a tire that is out of round.

6. You hear a whining, near whistling, sound when you drive. The whistling is produced by too much of the tire surface improperly touching the pavement. The exterior of the side wall is touching the pavement. Unusually worn side walls can blow out at high speeds (over 40 mph).

7. Your tire has become flat, and you have driven on it for more than one half mile. The inside wall of the tire will be damaged, as well as the exterior of the side wall. The tire will be unsafe to operate the vehicle.

8. You notice wear, nicks or cuts on the side wall of your tire. There is no reinforcement in or for the side wall. If it is damaged in any way, the tire should be replaced.

9. You notice uneven tread wear. If the inside or outside tread of your tire is worn more than the rest, it is best to replace it, but consult a professional. If the worn tread is less than 7/32 of an inch deep, definitely replace it.

Remember, tires are the only thing keeping you on the road. Take care of them.

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