Options that can save your life

February 13, 2006;
Posted: 11: 57m. EST (1657 GMT)
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All used cars in New York (MONEY magazine)-
Most popular is more than any CD changer, than any heated or ventilated seat
The choice on the car these days is a full complement to the safety features.
Here are some definitely worth the cost, plus some nice ones, but need to reduce the cost before they are really useful.
Whether it\'s a standard feature or a feature in the options list, unless the new car has all of these features: side and side-
Modern cars protect you well in frontal collisions, but it\'s relatively easy ---
There is a full engine compartment between you and the other car.
The tricky thing is the side impact.
There is only a thin door between you and the oncoming vehicle and the situation can be worse.
That\'s why side airbags (
Protect the upper body)and side-
Curtain airbag (
Cover the window area and protect your head)
Can play a key role in collision.
The good news is that even some cheap cars, such as Kia Rio\'s $11,000 to $14,000, side bags and curtains are becoming standard fares.
The bad news is that they are still optional in too many models.
It is disturbing that the proportion of consumers who choose to pay extra for airbags is very low, although they usually add $250 or $300 to the cost of the car ---
No more than a set of floor mats.
Check the Options box for the airbag every time.
Electronic stability control (ESC)
ESC technology takes advantage of existing
Lock the Brakes Plus motion sensors and software to identify the slip before the start of the slip.
It then applies a separate brake and adjusts the throttle to restore control.
Don\'t make a mistake: ESC works.
Countless times I hit a smooth patch or walked a track and turned too fast and felt ESC would drive the car back on track immediately, usually before I knew something was wrong
The ESC system is more advantageous if you are buying an SUV, as these vehicles have more tricky emergencies --
Features are processed and there can be more rolling trends.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration compared the models before and after the ESC installation and found that the technology reduced the car collision by 35% and the suv collision by 67%.
Prices have fallen as ESC is widely adopted.
In the case that most ESC systems are still an option, you need to spend $500 or less now.
This is the best money you spend on your car.
The result is obvious.
Winter tires are the best way to improve driving safety in an ice and snow environment. Period.
Recently, online tire retailer TireRack tested himself with two Volkswagen Touareg cars.
One of them is a factory worker.
Four Seasons tire, Bridgestone Winter Tire.
When both started to panic on the ice from 35 miles/hour, Volkswagen
It takes 70 feet of the season to stop using tires. -
It is about the length of the school bus.
Don\'t be misled by everyone. season tires. \"All-
The seasons are designed to be good at everything, but they are not good at anything, especially winter driving, \"said V Matt Edmonds. P.
Tire frame.
The winter-standard tires carry the symbol of snow peaks, each of which costs about $100.
You will want to buy a cheap set of wheels to keep it simple (
$60 to $100 per round)
Install winter tires instead of switching them back and forth on standard wheels.
Always use winter tires in four sets-
Using a pair on the drive wheel can produce unbalanced handling.
So far, these interesting, useful technologies can only be used on higher platforms. priced cars. Rear-
The initial response of View monitor to the display on the dashboard was, for the sake of technology, this is technology.
However, in the subsequent tests, I started thinking about families with children ---
There are also pets, big wheels and anything you might ignore when backing up, and there may be tragic results.
After a few auditions, count me as a believer: After
View monitor plays a big role in improving safety and confidence, especially for drivers who are worried about backing up large minivans or SUVs (most of us).
The best system for Nissan and Infiniti superimposed Green-yellow-
Red mesh on screen view (
Red is the area closest to your rear bumper)
, Which makes it easy to tell the distance, snuggle in less than a few inches from the car or wall behind you.
Not only does it let you know what is behind you, it will also let you not touch the bumper again when parking.
It should be noted that the cost: each monitor currently available is bundled in an option package that forces you to buy expensive navigation systems and some other gadgets for thousands of dollars.
So if you really want this security feature, you\'ll have to pay for something else you might not want. Pre-
Collision system before the first creaking of the Fender
The latest luxury model bender is trying to protect people inside the car.
Mercedes started pre-
2003 collision technology enhanced it on the new 2007 S-Class.
If the radar sensor detects an imminent collision,
The class will close the window in less than a second to support the curtain airbag (
Unless the window is blocked)
, Reposition the seat for optimal crash performance and retract the seat belt back to the passenger position. Right now pre-
The collision system is limited to the luxury car type, but with the popularity of technology, it is expected that
The price model will start offering similar systems by the end of ten years.
Actively participate in the preliminaries
The collision system goes further, 2007 Mercedes S-
Class and 2006 Acura RL use the radar \"vision\" of the car to brake when it feels like you are not doing the job.
This may sound scary, but these systems actually work safely and without attention.
The technology is not perfect (
It usually does not recognize the car that is completely stationary in front of it)
But my Test convinced me that it might make a difference in the slight fender bending and injury
Production accident
As a $3,800 option on the 06 Acura RL, the car\'s crash mitigation braking system first warned me that I quickly headed towards the upcoming car by flashing a huge brake
Give a warning on the driver\'s display and ring the bell.
If I still don\'t stop, the ac song will pull back to my seat belt and brake hard but smoothly, which still gives me enough time to stop myself safely. (
The system will not stop the car completely and can be turned off from the dashboard. )
New Mercedes S-
Class has a similar system, but it will only take effect after you start the brake.
The car then uses its onboard radar sensor to calculate the optimal braking force needed to avoid a collision, which is applied if you approach another object quickly.
The same system works with the radar of the car.
Based on cruise control.
In this case, the car will maintain a set distance from the car in front and adjust the speed from 0 to 125 mph.
When I use it, Mercedes accelerates and brakes for hours without the need for me to touch any of the pedals, even in heavy parking --and-go traffic.
Neat things, but only when these systems are cheap enough that most cars have them will they really work.
Now, you may be able to avoid the rear --
Ender, but it doesn\'t do you much good if no one else can.
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