Car Safety Features in 2024: Present and Future

Over the years, car safety features have become more sophisticated. And it’s a good thing too – not only are our roads more crowded than they were when cars were first invented, but we also travel faster. The safety features of a car are evolving to be more intuitive to help us safely share the roads.

But, keep in mind, though they may provide a great support, you still need to be alert and defensive, when you’re at the wheel.

In this article, PD Insurance rounds up some of the top performing safety features of a car and ones that may well become available in the future. We also share top tips for choosing a car that meets your safety needs.

Find out all, here:

Buying a vehicle with car safety features by rating

With distracted driving becoming a bigger problem globally and in Australia, we rely more on the safety features of a car than ever. Another great safeguard worth having is car insurance. In Australia, people buying and driving cars have safety ratings to help guide purchase decisions.

But what are the safety ratings?

ANCAP

ANCAP is our Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP SAFETY). Not only does the ANCAP website have safety ratings for all new cars, broken down by several categories, but it also has a useful filtering system. That means you can check the safety features of a car according to your budget and your wants and needs.

If you’re saving for a new car, you might wanna check out some of the new ANCAP safety ratings as a guideline.

The coolest current and future car safety features

They may not be “everyday” in the way that airbags or crumple zones are, but they are in action in real-life cars. (If you’re more into everyday tech, read about simple car technology you should be using.)

Then and now

Safety is a focus for almost all car manufactures. But not every model offers high-tech or futuristic safety features. Volvo is often considered one of the industry leaders in this field. They value driving safety so much that it was made one of their core values all the way back in 1927.

Now, nearly a century later, they aspire to have no person harmed or killed, in a new Volvo vehicle. So what are manufacturers actually doing when it comes to car safety features nowadays? Let’s find out.

What safety assist features already exist in cars?

The following car safety features are already available on certain cars on the market today. This isn’t an exhaustive list of the safety features of a car but it’s a great place to begin:

⭐ Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) used to be the stuff of sci-fi dreams. Nowadays, it’s almost commonplace in new cars. As the name suggests, AEB is when your car brakes for you.

If you’re driving and see something in your path, you have only a split second to decide how to respond. Assuming that you see it. AEB uses sensors to detect possible obstacles and will apply the brakes.

It usually alerts you to any obstructions too, by way of sounds, vibrations, or other alerts. If you then don’t respond quickly enough, it will apply the brakes on your behalf. Of course, even if your vehicle has AEB, it’s a good idea getting comprehensive car insurance to help cover costs if things don’t go as planned.

⭐ Lane departure warning

Lane departure warning is a car safety feature that can help prevent you from crossing lines unintentionally. Ever realised that you’re not staying totally straight when you get complacent behind the wheel, or when you’re turning across a wide intersection?

Obviously, crossing the white lines can be very dangerous. You might hit an oncoming car, side-swipe the car next to you, orr hit a barrier. 

The lane departure warning lets you know you’re crossing a line by emitting a sound or making your steering wheel vibrate. Often, this is paired with another safety feature which steers the car back into the lane. If you’re indicating to overtake, you can cross the line without getting told off by your car!

⭐ Blind spot detection

Blind spot detection, available on many new cars, monitors the road behind you. Drivers receive a visual warning if there’s a vehicle in your blind spot when you’re indicating to change lanes.

⭐ Obstacle detection

Obstacle detection can help when you’re at risk of collision with a vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist or animal.

In Australia, especially on regional roads, this is useful to avoid hitting a kangaroo or emu. At speed, colliding with a kangaroo is going to cause serious injury or even death. That said, you should still be vigilant as the driver of the car.

Read about seven animals on roads to watch out for when you’re driving in regional areas.

Where are the safety zones in the features of a car?

Crumple zones are a car safety feature designed to give you a soft landing in case of a collision. These zones are literally design to shield the occupants of the car by absorbing as much of the impact as possible and deflecting it over the other zones of the vehicle.

Front and rear crumple zones are the main safety features in car zones.

None of these are foolproof. And they don’t mean you can take your eyes off the road. But these features might lessen the severity of a collision or help you avoid one altogether.

Future car safety features 

OK, so we’re across existing car safety features many of which might be in your car. But what about the safety features of a car that are being developed and haven’t yet arrived on the market?

Enter some pretty weird and wonderful ideas…

• Windscreen pillars

In time, the windscreen pillars on either side of your car windscreen could be transparent. This means that you’d have a clearer view of the road in front and to the side, rather than big pillar-sized blind spots.

Of course, they still need to be structurally sound and be able to safely deploy airbags. So don’t expect to see them coming to a car near you in the immediate future. 

• External airbags

If internal airbags are so popular, why not external airbags too? Check out this video of the ZF TRW external airbags. Basically, the airbags would deploy on the outside of the vehicle as well as inside. So not only do you reduce the chance of damage to your car, but it also cushions the passengers from impact too.

Check out this preview of external car airbags:

More 2024 must reads to help you drive the perfect car

Whether you’ve got a new job and are getting a new car, or you’re deciding between a second hand car or a new one, here are some great new reads to give you some pointers.

• 5 New Cars Hitting Roads in 2024
• Cool New Car Tech for Savvy Women
• Best Small Cars to Buy in Australia Right Now
• What Are Car Safety Ratings?

Once you’ve got your car, consider getting peace of mind behind the wheel, with award winning car insurance.

Choose award winning car insurance

With car safety features getting better each year hopefully accidents will one day be a thing of the past. That said, getting into a car always comes with some level of risk and that’s why having car insurance is a great idea.

If you do have an accident, or your car is stolen or damaged, having car insurance in place means you won’t be alone when paying the costs. You’ll feel less of a financial impact. And you’ll be back on the road with less stress and hassle.

Choose the level of cover that suits your pocket, driving lifestyle and car. Click below to get a quote.