If you take a look at GM vehicles lately, you’ll see that they’ve made a huge effort to be at the top of the charts when it comes to safety. Here’s three examples of how they’re doing that:
The Safety Alert Seat
The Safety Alert Seat was designed to give customers an alternative to auditory alerts such as beeps, as well as to give hearing-impaired drivers an opportunity to experience crash avoidance system alerts. The Safety Alert Seat uses haptics, a tactile feedback technology that re-creates the sense of touch by using left and/or right “tapping” vibration pulses to direct the driver to the location of a crash threat. Similar technology is used in space and military applications.
Here’s how the Safety Alert Seat works in a vehicle equipped with a lane departure warning system: When the camera detects the vehicle is leaving a lane without an active turn signal in that direction, small motors generate a vibration pulse in the left or right seat bolster that directs the driver’s attention to the side of the lane encroachment. When a vehicle is equipped with forward collision alert technology and the system detects the driver may strike the vehicle ahead, both sides of the seat vibrate. Drivers can always select beeping alerts instead of seat vibrations.
Rear Vision Camera
Most 2015 GM models are available with a rear vision camera that – when combined with driver diligence and rearview and side mirrors, help improve visibility and reduce the potential for damage to vehicles, belongings and landscaping. The camera also shows detection displays for rear parking assist and rear cross traffic alert system in models equipped with these technologies. When a driver shifts into Reverse, the camera provides a view of the scene directly behind the vehicle on the center stack (or in some models, the inside rearview mirror) display to help them avoid crashing into objects behind the vehicle during low-speed maneuvering. After shifting out of Reverse, the image is removed if the vehicle speed exceeds 5 mph, or several seconds expire, or radio buttons are pressed, whichever comes first.
Forward Collision Alert
Forward Collision Alert technology available in several 2015 GM models alerts customers in everyday car-following situations if they may be seconds away from a crash or following much too closely. Depending on the model, Forward Collision Alert system uses a radar located in the front grille area or a camera mounted behind the windshield in front of the inside rearview mirror. When activated, it produces a green icon when a vehicle is detected ahead and an amber one when a driver is following much too closely. A red “Collision Alert” warning will flash – along with rapid, high-pitched beeping – when the driver is approaching a vehicle ahead too quickly and may be seconds away from a potential crash. In GM models equipped with the available Safety Alert Seat that is turned on, instead of beeps, the patented seat will quickly pulse five times on both sides.
Clearly, GM is trying to make themselves the leader when it comes to safety. These three safety features will make drivers and those around them safer. That is a very good thing.
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This entry was posted on January 17, 2015 at 12:22 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags GM. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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GM Stepping Up Their Game When It Comes To Safety Technology
If you take a look at GM vehicles lately, you’ll see that they’ve made a huge effort to be at the top of the charts when it comes to safety. Here’s three examples of how they’re doing that:
The Safety Alert Seat
The Safety Alert Seat was designed to give customers an alternative to auditory alerts such as beeps, as well as to give hearing-impaired drivers an opportunity to experience crash avoidance system alerts. The Safety Alert Seat uses haptics, a tactile feedback technology that re-creates the sense of touch by using left and/or right “tapping” vibration pulses to direct the driver to the location of a crash threat. Similar technology is used in space and military applications.
Here’s how the Safety Alert Seat works in a vehicle equipped with a lane departure warning system: When the camera detects the vehicle is leaving a lane without an active turn signal in that direction, small motors generate a vibration pulse in the left or right seat bolster that directs the driver’s attention to the side of the lane encroachment. When a vehicle is equipped with forward collision alert technology and the system detects the driver may strike the vehicle ahead, both sides of the seat vibrate. Drivers can always select beeping alerts instead of seat vibrations.
Rear Vision Camera
Most 2015 GM models are available with a rear vision camera that – when combined with driver diligence and rearview and side mirrors, help improve visibility and reduce the potential for damage to vehicles, belongings and landscaping. The camera also shows detection displays for rear parking assist and rear cross traffic alert system in models equipped with these technologies. When a driver shifts into Reverse, the camera provides a view of the scene directly behind the vehicle on the center stack (or in some models, the inside rearview mirror) display to help them avoid crashing into objects behind the vehicle during low-speed maneuvering. After shifting out of Reverse, the image is removed if the vehicle speed exceeds 5 mph, or several seconds expire, or radio buttons are pressed, whichever comes first.
Forward Collision Alert
Forward Collision Alert technology available in several 2015 GM models alerts customers in everyday car-following situations if they may be seconds away from a crash or following much too closely. Depending on the model, Forward Collision Alert system uses a radar located in the front grille area or a camera mounted behind the windshield in front of the inside rearview mirror. When activated, it produces a green icon when a vehicle is detected ahead and an amber one when a driver is following much too closely. A red “Collision Alert” warning will flash – along with rapid, high-pitched beeping – when the driver is approaching a vehicle ahead too quickly and may be seconds away from a potential crash. In GM models equipped with the available Safety Alert Seat that is turned on, instead of beeps, the patented seat will quickly pulse five times on both sides.
Clearly, GM is trying to make themselves the leader when it comes to safety. These three safety features will make drivers and those around them safer. That is a very good thing.
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This entry was posted on January 17, 2015 at 12:22 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags GM. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.