Car Safety Features You Absolutely Need

When it comes to automobile safety, there are a number of car safety features you absolutely need. In today's world, those features are airbags, antilock brakes, traction control and stability control. Some of these features are standard on all new automobiles today while others are features which can be added on. What makes these features so important?

Airbags

Airbags are the first safety feature we will look at. Airbags are usually mounted inside the steering wheel for the driver and above the glove compartment for the passenger. Crash sensors are mounted at various exterior points on the car. When the airbag control unit senses the car is in the process of having a major crash, it will send a signal for the airbag to deploy. The airbag will then inflate like a balloon within 20 to 30 milliseconds. The primary purposes of airbags are to prevent the driver and passenger from hitting the steering wheel, windshield and dashboard during a major crash. Certain models on the road today also include side door airbags for protection against side collisions.

Antilock Brakes

Antilock brakes are another safety feature which is very important today. These braking systems are designed to prevent the tires from locking up during hard braking situations. This is important because this allows the driver to maintain steering control of the vehicle.  By maintaining steering control, the driver can often steer clear of the approaching obstacle. In vehicles without antilock brakes, the tires will lockup during hard breaking conditions. Once the tires are locked, the vehicle will begin to slide and all steering control will be lost. Antilock braking systems use tire rotation sensors, a control unit and a high speed pump to perform their duty. During a hard breaking situation, the driver should press the brake pedal hard and firm. Do not pump the brakes. The control unit will use the hydraulic pump to send full braking pressure to the brakes. If the rotation sensors indicate that one or more of the tires is about to lockup, the control unit will tell the pump to reduce the hydraulic pressure to the brakes. This process occurs many times per second. That's faster than any human could ever do.

Traction Control

Another important feature is traction control. This system is designed to send more power to the tires that have the best grip. This is important when driving in mud, rain, snow and ice.  There are many different variations of this system, but the main principle is the same, redirect power to where it is needed. The control unit monitors: engine speed, vehicle speed, tire rotation speed and transmission gear. By using the brakes, clutches in the transmission or clutches in the differential, power can be redirected to any of the vehicles four tire. This increases a vehicles ability to stay on the road.

Stability Control

Stability controls work with all of the previously mentioned systems to increase a vehicle's stability. A stable vehicle is a predictable vehicle. Monitoring and actively adjusting a vehicle's suspension system is one of the tasks for stability controls. By adjusting the suspension, the system can increase the vehicle's resistance to body roll during hard cornering, and help keep all four tires planted firmly on the ground.  Using this system along with antilock brakes, and traction control, increases a vehicle's ability to stick to the road. This also gives the driver more control over what the vehicle does.

Airbags, antilock brakes, stability control and traction control all center around protecting the driver and his or her passengers. Airbags are designed to protect drivers and passengers if they are in an accident. Antilock brakes, stability control and traction control focus on helping the driver avoid an accident.