Toyota automatically stops car before it can hit pedestrian

Toyota automatically stops the car before it can hit a pedestrian

Toyota automatically stops car before it can hit pedestrian
networkworld.com

Whenever I almost get hit by a car while I'm walking around San Francisco, I'd say that 8 times out of 10 it's a Prius... so this is definitely welcome.

Volvo has similarly come out with a pedestrian detection/braking system (http://www.boston.com/cars/newsandreviews/overdrive/2010/07/...) and Volkswagen has been showing off a self-driving car (http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1062073_volkswagen-shows-...) in addition to the Google Car. Cars are going toward driving themselves. The Google car is impressive, but it will likely be a while before people become comfortable with the concept and for the cost to come down. Mainstream auto manufacturers are inching their way toward these features (mostly on their more expensive models), but I keep hearing people say, "well, what if it stops me when I can go forward."

I think manufacturers are trying to get consumers used to the idea that technology might be the way to go for a lot of driving systems. People need to get the idea that self-driving technologies enhance safety. I think that's why they're starting with braking. As people become comfortable with and grateful for their car taking control in emergency-ish situations like that, they'll similarly become comfortable with the car taking control during normal driving. At least that's the thought.

Volvo has this feature -- dubbed City Safety -- already on the road.

It may seem snobbish to some, but I'd never let myself, my wife, and my future children drive anything but a Mercedes or Volvo.

Between the two of them, they've been behind nearly every safety system developed in the last 40 years.

I feel good about knowing that our hard work has let us put my wife in a car, for her 30 minute commute, that has 12 airbags, that monitors her blindspot and will prevent her from changing lanes when it's occupied, that monitors her alertness and sounds alarms if she begins to fall asleep at the wheel, that vibrates the steering wheel if she accidentally begins to drift out of her lane, that watches for stopped traffic or obstacles in her path and will apply full force braking in microseconds in a way that her human reflexes just cannot, that has seats designed to prevent whiplash, and seatbelt pretensioners, and an extra firewall in the engine compartment to prevent intrusion.

Not to mention, compared to the often under-engineered competition, it has handling and performance capabilities that can plausibly prevent accidents where any of those things would be necessary in the first place.

Neither of us has ever yet, to our knowledge, counted on these things to save our lives. But knowing they're there, makes me feel much more comfortable when she leaves home.