Although the main aim of motor manufacturers over the last decade appears to have been to be the first producer of a successful mass produced zero emission car, there have been other developments going on, mainly involving safety.
Message not getting across
Consumers across the UK have been swamped by advertisers telling them their next motor insurance quote should be for a car with zero or low emissions but however hard the media men try and push this, consumers are not yet falling in love with the new breed of vehicles.
Technology focussing on before and not after
Survey after survey reveals that motorists are looking for value for money, comfort and reliability in a new car, and of course safety. The advances in safety have been a triumph over the last decade and almost every country in the western world can boast of falling major accident casualties because of the new technology built into our cars. In the past, safety features on cars have been “secondary”. Air bags and metal technology have been designed to protect the driver and passengers after an accident has occurred; today’s technology is focussing on stopping the accident happening in the first place.
Who will be driving?
In the near future car insurance brokers will be offering deals on vehicles that automatically dip their headlights when another car is approaching, that have inflatable rear seat belts and insist on the driver indicating when he wants to change lanes. And that is not the end by any means. Sensors and cameras in the cars will make the car stop if it anticipates a collision and laser technology will once and for all get rid of the blind spot every car driver fears.
Cost implications
Of course all these features will add cost to a car, those offered by major manufacturers at the moment put about £2,000 on the cost of a model but this may well prove more attractive to consumers than forking out an extra £10,000 for a car with no exhaust and no track record to compare it by.
Safety groups not convinced-yet
Not everyone is impressed by the new safety gadgets and many motoring and road safety groups observe that the new technology will make the modern day driver even lazier in his warm, gadget packed cocoon. They believe the emphasis should be on better driving skills and closer traffic management, however, the safety track record of motor manufacturers is getting better and not many will argue with that.