The Evolution Of Car Safety And Top 8 Features
With the development of technology, cars nowadays become stronger, faster, and smarter. And along with it, the danger towards you joining traffic is much greater. In order to protect driver’s safety, the growth of car safety features is crucial. In this article, we will talk about the evolution of car safety.
Top 8 Features In Car Safety Evolution
Surprisingly, the evolution of car safety is rich with possibility and history. In order to protect the safety of the drivers as well as other people on the road, many useful tools has been created. Lots of them must be tested and justified carefully. And in the history evolution of car safety, here are the top 8 features:
Indicators
Don’t you hate it when the car in front of you suddenly turn left without any warning? In the past, there is nothing called light signal or indicator to warn you, so it occurred quite regularly in those days. Cyclists and motorists can do that by using hand gestures whenever turning, however, how can you show that movement while you are inside a car? For that reason, indicator was created. The first car equipped with an electrical indicator was invented by Buick in 1938, and that is the beginning of the idea of upgrading indicators. In 1914, Florence Lawrence created the first turn indicator.
The best way to protect yourself while driving is to be able to notice other drivers when you about to turn. So even though very powerful, indicator is considered to be one of the underrated features in the evolution of car safety.
Lights
Car mechanics equipped the past vehicles with many different types of light in order to broaden the driver’s vision: From lantern to bulk to nowadays lights. But the lights we are talking about are more than that.
Today, there are three types of car lights: Brake lights, headlights and turn indicators. Brake light is a red light in the rear that lights up whenever you hit the brakes in order to warn the following car owners. Meanwhile, headlight is a light attached in front of the car to light the road. Last but not least, turn indicators is the car part that light up to inform other drivers when you want to change your direction.
Lights are a must while driving at night, and it is also recommended to use in bad weather when your vision is limited.
Shatter-Resistant Glass
Can you imagine heavy objects hitting your in front glass while you are inside the car? It actually happened quite often actually, and the consequences are terrible as well. The impact can break the windscreen into small, sharp knives of glasses. But worry not, it was in the past.
In 1903, a French chemist invented laminated glass. This type of glass is the essential part in the windscreen: Two layers of laminated, a layer of plastic in between and shatter-proof glass. With this con structure, they are not easily broken. And if it is, the glass will be broken into numerous and harmless chunks.
Airbag
Many new car owners are wondering: Is airbag really necessary for car safety? Trust me, airbag is very, very important. Along with seatbelt, it is one of the most well-known feature when you discuss about car safety. Yet not many drivers know about its own story of evolution.
Airbag was first invented in the 1950 s and publicly introduced to the people in the 1970 s. However, it did not perform very well at that time. In the year of 1981, the airbag returned with a three-point structure and success. In the early 90 s, the mechanic started to equipped airbags in cars, and side-impact airbags joined it in the later half of the decade. Finally, 1998 is the year for airbag to be an indispensable part of the vehicles.
Today it seems a car can completely cushion its occupants during a crash with side, curtain and knee airbags all commonplace. The modern airbag really is design ingenuity at its best.
Seatbelts
And of course, you cannot discuss about the evolution of car safety without mentioning seat belts. In the early 1900s, the first concept of seat belts is invented, with a simple two-point design. In 1959, the Volvo creator changed to the standard three-point design and released it for free to the open market. However, not until 1970 did it become standard feature in cars.
Along with many seat belts safety’s rules, this is by far the most important device when it comes to car safety. All the countries in the world now require seat belts on every cars. If people drive without fasten their seat belts, they will be fined heavily.
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Wipers
A windscreen wiper is a car feature to remove snow, ice and rain from the in front for drivers to see the road better. The very first design of the wiper was created in England. Yet in the early year of 1903, the wiper was publicly invented by three inventors at around the same time: John Apjohn, Robert Douglass and Mary Anderson.
Even though many of us do not think these as a safety device, their roles are crucial. After all, how can you keep yourself safe while driving without seeing anything?
Reverse Camera
First equipped and used in 1956, reverse camera played a major part in the evolution of car safety. Not only convenience for avoiding behind objects in parking lot and shopping mail, reverse camera also backs driver’s up when you have small children at home.
Be able to see everything is the greatest way to keep yourself as well as other people safe. Today, reverse camera is a standard feature in every vehicle.
BlueTooth Technology
Last but not least, it is a mistake if we forget Bluetooth technology in the evolution of car safety. With the distraction from modern technology like calling and texting while driving, the appearance of Bluetooth is highly important.
This wireless technology lets drivers operate a mobile phone “hands-free”. This means they don’t have to hold the device while taking or making a call. This also allows the smartphone to connect with car’s audio system and helps driver focus on the road.