The Key Safety Features to Look for in Second-Hand Cars
It is undeniable that new technologies play a crucial part in making our lives better, in terms of comfort, convenience and safety. From medicine to housekeeping, from education to transportation, technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace.
In the automotive industry many technological improvements are translated into better driving and greater safety at the wheel. These tech-based safety features are not only found on the newest cars in the market, but now also increasingly in the second-hand marketplace. Here we run through some of the safety tech you might want to look out for when buying a second hand car.
Rear-view camera and proximity sensors
This technology helps drivers eliminate blind spots. These cameras provide greater visibility to the rear of the vehicle and calculate distances to moving and non-moving objects. These technologies also include sensors that have an audible alarm alerting the driver when objects or obstacles are too close to the car.
Mobileye: collision avoidance technology
This is an advanced technology that uses a sensor to view the road ahead and warn drivers with real-time visual and audio alerts. The tech identifies traffic signs and assesses the movements of other vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians, alerting the driver to potential dangers. This provides vital additional time to react and avoid possible collisions.
Automation systems
There are actions that automated technology takes care of without the command of a human, such as adaptive car lights linked to darkness sensors, turning on and off automatically. Automatic parking systems also fall into this bracket. Once the driver places the vehicle in a specific position, the car takes over and parks the car using multiple sensors to calculate steering angles.
Lane-keeping assistance
This safety technology uses lane monitoring which prevents drivers from drifting out of their lanes. When sensors receive information that the car is moving lanes unintentionally the steering wheel automatically corrects and keeps the car in the intended lane.
Real time driver awareness
This 360 OmniVue™ technology reduces the driver’s blind spots to zero with its multiple cameras installed around the vehicle that provide a ‘look down’ of the car. This makes manoeuvring and spotting possible collisions much easier for the driver.
In addition to this increasingly sophisticated safety technology don’t forget the basics. It’s crucial to check traditional safety features of a second-hand car before purchase, so make sure the seat belts and brakes are in good condition, assess the airbag technology and feel for tyre wear. If those elements are not well-maintained the more sophisticated tech will never be able perform its role in keeping you safe on the road.
Many vehicles produced over the last five years already carry some of the technology listed above so it is not beyond the reach of buyers looking only at the secondary market. Furthermore, in many cases, older vehicles can be retrospectively fitted with cameras and sensors to assist with driver assistance.
Dashcams are another way to enhance your security on the road and can also be extremely useful in documenting incidents should you need a clear record for an insurance claim.
About the Author
Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.
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