If you bought a late-model vehicle in the last few years, it likely has high-tech driver assistance features. These may include blind-spot monitoring and lane change assistance. You may wonder how well these systems actually keep us safe on the road. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration has reviewed many of these driver assistance tech offerings and encourages drivers consider purchasing vehicles with the following systems.
Recommended tech systems
NHTSA recommends drivers shop for vehicles with forward collision warning, which alerts you of a pending crash. The agency also recommends automatic emergency braking, which applies the brakes in your vehicle to reduce damage in the case of an unavoidable crash
The NHTSA has required all new vehicles to have rear backup cameras since 2018. This system lets you see behind you when you put the car in reverse. In the side assist category, the agency recommends lane departure warning, which provides an audible alert if your vehicle starts to drift out of the lane.
Other driver assistance features
While the NHTSA only officially recommends a few safety tech features, the agency notes that other systems likely also reduce the risk of auto accidents, such as:
- Blind-spot detection, which alerts you if you cannot see a driver in the next lane
- Lane-keeping assistance, which automatically keeps the car in the lane if you start to drift
- Automatic emergency braking that specifically detects pedestrians in the path of your vehicle
When shopping for a new vehicle, you can search NHTSA model recommendations to learn more about its safety systems and crash-test results.
Unfortunately, these safety innovations are not infallible. In the event of an auto accident, legal remedies may be available if the crash was the result of another driver’s negligent or reckless actions. This can lead to funds to help cover the expenses of the accident, including medical bills and repairs or replacement of your vehicle.