The Federal government wants to spend $4 billion over the next decade to help car manufacturers develop Autonomous Car Technology to keep drivers safe.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a spike in traffic accidents in 2015 due to driver distraction so the government wants to move research dollars from focusing on boosting fuel efficiency in cars to developing automotive technology to keep drivers safe.
Advanced-Driver Assistance Systems, known as ADAS, provide drivers with lane-keeping assistance, automatic braking and adaptive cruise control. Until now only luxury vehicles were equipped with ADAS, but this year Honda announced that it is offering ADAS in its very affordable and popular, Honda, Civic LX sedan which is selling for $20,440.
By equipping the Honda, Civic LX sedan with ADAS, the popular car manufacturer is providing potentially lifesaving equipment to significantly more buyers – including young people and senior citizens living on a fixed income.
The Honda, Civic LX sedan can basically drive itself on the highway as long as the camera mounted on the rear view mirror can see the car in front of it and the lane markings are visible. Under these conditions, a driver need not have his/her hands on the wheel or foot on the accelerator to drive – instead, the camera tells the cars central nervous system when to slow down, swerve or apply the brakes.
Some car manufacturers are offering ADAS components as option packages for about $1,800 and the car buying public is purchasing the option at a higher rate than they are purchasing electrified vehicles.
Still, there are insurance companies and legal groups warning drivers against treating ADAS equipped cars as cars that drive themselves because of lingering questions about liability and regulatory ambiguities. While the insurance companies, lawyers and politicians sort that out, the fact remains that ADAS equipped vehicle can actually reduce the likelihood of your being involved in a traffic accident. This is particularly important for young people and seniors citizens who tend to be the most likely groups to experience a car crash.
Barry’s Auto Body stands ready to assist if you or a loved one have experienced a car accident. Call today for a free post repair inspection if you feel that your vehicle has been repaired incorrectly. We will work with you and your insurance company to fix your car properly with no additional cost to you.