Safety features to look for when buying a car

(Baonghean.vn) - One of the important factors to consider when buying a car is safety. With the development of technology, the longer the list of safety features, the better it protects the driver.

In addition to the frame structure and design, cars are increasingly equipped with more safety features, in which each individual device or a combination of devices working together will increase the ability to avoid accidents or protect passengers in the car. Therefore, buying a car with many safety features is very important, but not all drivers remember this.

Airbag:For many consumers, the number of airbags is considered a factor in "weighing" the safety of different car models. Although this is not really accurate in assessing the safety of a car, the number of airbags also plays a very important role in protecting consumers in the event of an accident.

Nowadays, in addition to the two front airbags, consumers need to pay attention to curtain airbags for both front and rear passengers, front seat side airbags and driver knee airbags.

Seat belt:Seat belts are considered a basic safety feature that every car needs and require the occupants to wear seat belts when the car is moving. Many manufacturers have defaulted to using seat belts as a “switch” to turn on other safety features in the event of an accident.

Rear camera:Rear cameras are increasingly popular with consumers because of the safety they bring, especially for families with small children and narrow garage spaces. Rear cameras help drivers easily observe if there are any small children in the rear of the car/ hidden corners that the rearview mirrors cannot see, making reversing safer.

Weight:A “heavy” car with a solid chassis system always gives consumers a more secure feeling when driving, especially in high-speed operating conditions. Accident data also shows that heavier cars help ensure higher safety than “light” cars, this is especially true in the case of multiple collisions.

Electronic balance system:In many countries, electronic stability control has become a mandatory safety feature for all car models sold on the market. Electronic stability control helps ensure vehicle stability in high-speed cornering or sudden steering maneuvers.

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system:The ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) system is an important step forward in improving the active safety of the vehicle.

This system checks the road ahead and gradually reduces speed when approaching the vehicle in front, or when any obstacles appear, and allows the driver to set the vehicle speed.

Car seat headrest:In cases of rear-end collisions, the vehicle is thrown forward, the seat belt holds you in place while your head is jerked backward. This can cause serious neck injuries. This type of collision is less dangerous for those who drive properly or adjust the headrest to fit the occupant. In addition, many vehicles are equipped with active headrests that help support the occupant's head in these collisions.

AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) and emergency collision prevention system:The AEB automatic emergency braking system uses radar, laser or camera sensors to observe and detect potential risks of collision with other vehicles, pedestrians or hazards around the vehicle.

The system provides visual, audible, or steering wheel vibration warnings, or all three. If the driver fails to respond to the warnings, AEB automatically applies the brakes. Some AEB systems can also pre-tension seat belts to help reduce injury to passengers.

AEB has many different names depending on the car manufacturer such as Pre Sense Plus (Audi), Driving Assistant Plus (BMW), PRE-SAFE Brake (Mercedes-Benz), City Emergency Braking (Volkswagen), Collision Mitigation Braking System (Honda), Smart City Brake Support (Mazda), Forward Collision Mitigation (Mitsubishi), Pre-Collision Braking System (Eyesight) (Subaru)..., so it's best to ask the consultant directly.

Anti-lock braking system:Anti-lock braking system is now considered as basic safety equipment for the braking system of each car. This system ensures that the car can still adjust the direction of the car in the condition of hard braking of 4 wheels.

Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) blind spot warning technology:Blind spot monitoring (BSM) technology was invented by George Platzer and first appeared in a paper submitted to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in 1995.

This system includes electronic transmitters mounted on the rearview mirror, around the body of the car or rear bumper to emit an alarm signal when another vehicle enters your blind spot area.

Lane Departure Alert (LDW):Similar to AEB, this system has many different names depending on the car manufacturer. However, the general purpose of LDW is to keep the car on the right track safely.

LDW system features may vary depending on the price of the vehicle. For mid-priced vehicles, the system will warn the driver when the vehicle deviates from its lane by visual, audio or vibration of the steering wheel or seat.

Meanwhile, high-end cars have additional automatic handling functions by activating safety measures to avoid collisions when the driver fails to react in time.

Impact absorption zoneis a structural feature of the vehicle frame. The crumple zone will absorb all the shock and minimize the impact of the collision on the passengers in the vehicle.

Night vision feature:Driving at night requires more concentration than driving during the day, including watching the road and paying attention to obstacles on the side of the road or far ahead.

Many people have problems driving at night, so if there is technology support, everything will be easier for drivers. Currently, smart headlight technology has also solved this problem. However, only luxury cars are integrated with new technology headlights.

Automatic braking feature:This is one of the features that plays a role in the premise of self-driving car technology in the future. For example, when the driver falls asleep or is engrossed in texting on the phone, the car will make a decision on its own if there is an obstacle ahead and there is a risk of collision but the driver does not react.

Driving assistance:Driver assistance systems are becoming an increasingly important part of cars. The basic idea behind these systems is to automatically change the car’s settings to make it safer. They are not self-driving, but they help with small things like adjusting headlights or emergency braking.

One of the popular functions of this technology is the lane departure warning system, which helps warn the driver and automatically correct the direction if the driver shows signs of losing focus.

ShiftLock button:With automatic transmission cars, when the car is turned off, the driver cannot shift from P to N, R or D. The question is if the car stalls or stops in the middle of the road, how can the car be safely pulled to the side of the road? Car manufacturers have designed a small button that allows drivers to shift gears without having to start the car.

Called “Shiftlock,” this button is usually “hidden” under a plastic cover around the gear shift area or above the steering column. Therefore, the driver just needs to remove the plastic cover, press the small latch underneath and shift gears. Then, ask a few people to help push the car to a safer position.

Automatic lights:One of the premium features on most vehicles is automatic headlights. When turned on, the automatic headlights analyze the outside light conditions and adjust the light accordingly. This feature allows the driver to fully concentrate on driving. Some advanced automatic headlights can adjust the intensity of the light to prevent glare from oncoming vehicles.

Heated seats:This feature may seem unnecessary, but in cold climates, heated seats are a real miracle. Previously, this feature was very expensive, but now many manufacturers are offering heated seats as a standard feature on basic models.

You can start the seat heating remotely, so it's warm and comfortable inside the car.

Ngoc Anh

(Synthetic)