Technology rules the roost in just about every facet of our lives. We use email to communicate with friends, family members and business associates. We rely on cable or satellite TV for our entertainment needs. Even today’s radios, with their satellite technology, make the stereos of yesteryear seem almost silly. We use the Internet to buy everything from toilet paper to travel insurance. Technological advancements have made our lives easier, more convenient and, in many ways, safer.
Think, for example, about those family vacations you’re going to be taking this year. Sure, you might choose to hop on a plane and zoom off to wherever it is you’re going, but you might not. You might load everyone up in the SUV (today’s version of the family favorite station wagon from so many years ago) and just drive wherever you want to go.
Thanks to all of that technology, driving is much more safe than it was just 30 years ago. Here are a handful of the most helpful and useful safety technologies to come out in the past couple of decades:
- Bluetooth. Using a Bluetooth headset with your cell phone greatly increases your driving safety. While hands free calling can lead to distractions, the fact of the matter is that it’s much safer to make a call without pushing all of those numbers and to not be holding a phone in your hand while you call.
- GPS. Voice commands now let you get directions to where you want to be. The days of trying to unfold a map and lay it over the top of your steering wheel while cruising down the Interstate are gone. Yes, a GPS unit can be distracting if you need to fiddle with a bunch of buttons, but overall it has improved safety.
- Blind spot detection. Everyone’s familiar with GPS and Bluetooth, but this is one technology you might not be aware of. This kind of system will sound an alert when you drift out of your lane unintentionally. These systems were once available only on high-end vehicles, but we’re starting to see them in midpriced cars.
- Driver alert systems. Luxury cars from Mercedes-Benz and Lexus now offer a system that will monitor the driver for alertness. They will sound an alarm to let the driver know that it might be time for a rest.
- Active cruise control. This technology, which is often used with auto-braking technology, will monitor the road around you and help to lower your cruise speed when the car in front of you slows down.
Similar Posts:
- Beyond the Cell Phone – Other Car Distractions Have the Potential To Be Harmful
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- Safety First: Your Car’s Safety Features May Save You Money on Car Insurance
- Lexus Safety and Security
- Fewer People Are Dying on the Road
