Car safety has been one of the foremost concerns for automobile manufacturers. The features have played a key role in minimizing the risk of serious injuries in the event of an accident. Some advanced features even prevent fatal accidents. Vehicles today come equipped with basic to advanced level safety features. Some of the basic features have been around for decades and are only improved with time.
Given the significance of driver and passengers’ safety, today, we are going to discuss some of the common car safety features and their origins.
HISTORY OF CAR SAFETY FEATURES
We usually take many common and basic car safety features for granted, although they are vital and installed to serve a distinct purpose. Let’s take a look at them and their origins:
3-POINT SEAT BELTS
Starting the history of car safety features with a three-point seat belt, this feature comes as standard in modern cars. This seat belt was first introduced by Volvo in the year 1959 and was invented by Nils Bohlin. Though the design of the three-point seat belt was patented, Volvo later kept the patent open to be used by all the other automobile manufacturers. The three-point lap and shoulder seat belt are among the basic and important car safety features.
AIRBAGS
Some of the car safety features and their origins have conflicting accounts. One of such safety features is airbags. The concept of airbags was introduced in the 1950s, but it was introduced as an optional safety feature somewhere in the early 1970s.
Ford launched Mercury Monterey with a passenger airbag, and General Motors introduced airbags in Oldsmobile Toronado. The airbags were introduced as an optional safety feature. In 1987, Porsche and Honda launched their cars with airbags as standard. Later in the 1990s, airbags became a standard safety feature in almost all the cards launched by different automobile manufacturers.
Today, modern cars come with curtain, knee, passenger, shoulder, and even seatbelt airbags.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
Antilock Braking System (ABS) is an important car safety feature that locks the vehicle when sudden brakes are applied in an emergency. This feature was first invented for aeroplanes in the 1920s, and the modern ABS for vehicles was invented later by Mario Palazetti at the Fiat Research Centre. Initially, it was named Antiskid and was sold to Bosch. In 1978, W116 Mercedes-Benz S-Class became the first to come with ABS installed.
However, before W116, Jensen FF was the first sports car to feature mechanical ABS, and its functions were based on aircraft technology.
Ford made ABS a standard safety feature in its model Granada, which was launched in the year 1985.
DISC BRAKES
Disc brakes are one of the oldest car safety features and their origins date back to 1902. It was developed in Birmingham factory by Frederick W. Lanchester and was patented in 1902. After several years, in the early 1950s caliper-type disc brakes were first introduced in the Jaguar C-type racing car.
In the year 1955, Citroen produced its model DS equipped with disc brakes.
Many modern cars come with disc brakes installed at the front or on the rear wheel axle.
CRUMPLE ZONE
Crumple zone is one of the important safety features designed to absorb kinetic energy during a crash. This feature keeps the car’s passengers and the interior cabin safe. This feature was developed by Mercedes-Benz and patented in 1952. Crumple zone was featured for the first time in the Mercedes-Benz W-180 series in the late 1950s and Mercedes Heckflosse, also known as Fintail.
AUTO SAFETY GLASS
The history of car safety features constitutes an interesting evolution of auto safety glass as well. In the 1915s, the Oldmobile company launched its Model 42 with auto glass as a standard safety feature. Later, Ford improved the auto glass and made them shatter-proof. In the 1920s, the company standardised windshields in its models.
Around the 1930s, tempered glass was developed that made windshields completely shatterproof. Following the same year back glass in vehicles was also introduced for additional safety.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Electronic Stability Control (ESC), also referred to as Electronic Stability Program (ESP) was first introduced by Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Toyota in the year 1995. Having the same function, this safety feature was launched as ESC by Mercedes-Benz in its 600 Coupe, BMW named it Electronic Traction Control (ETC) and launched its BMW 7 Series equipped with ETC. In the same year, Toyota launched its Crown Majesta with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC).
Later, Audi and Volvo followed their footprints and launched their new models with ESC installed.
ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
When talking about the origins of safety features in modern cars, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) was introduced in the year 1992 and had multiple variations in terms of features and name. The first car to feature the very first version of ACC was Mitsubishi Debonair. This version of ACC was a lidar system to detect vehicles ahead of it.
In the year 1995, Mitsubishi launched its Diamante with another version of ACC, labeled as laser Preview Distance Control.
Following suit, Toyota launched its model Celsior in 1999 with laser adaptive cruise control. By the end of the 1990s era and early 2000s, well-known automobile manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, BMW, Ford, Volkswagen, Infinity, Nissan, Subaru, and Audi, developed and launched their versions of ACC.
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING
Lane Departure Warning was first introduced in Mercedes Actros commercial trucks in the early 2000s. This safety feature was then introduced in passenger cars by Toyota and Nissan. Following suit in the year 2004, Infiniti introduced lane departure warning in its FX and M models and Toyota equipped its Crown Majesta with a lane-keeping assistance system.
This safety feature is now available in all modern cars, trucks and SUVs as well.
BLIND SPOT WARNING SYSTEM
Blind Spot Warning System was first introduced in the early 2000s by Volvo as Blind Spot Information System. Later Mazda, Ford and Mitsubishi following the suit introduced Blind Spot Warning System in their car. This feature in a few modern cars come as standard and in some as an optional safety feature.
These were some of the common car safety features and their origins. Keeping the safety of motorists and passengers at utmost priority, automobile manufacturers are consistently working to improve and introduce advanced safety features in their vehicles. Therefore, modern cars are well-equipped with smart sensors and safety technologies that offer motorists peace of mind. Besides, when buying a used car in the UAE, don’t forget to check that all these safety features are functioning properly.
Stay tuned to the UAE’s top auto blog for information on different car features, maintenance guides of various auto parts, new car launches and more.
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