An Industry 1st, Ford Unveils Inflatable Seat Belts

In a press release yesterday, Ford announced the 2011 Ford Explorer will be equipped with back seat belt-mounted air bags. According to Ford, they are the first carmaker to mass produce this safety feature. The inflatable belts are designed to protect children and the elderly who are at a higher risk for head and neck injuries.

The seat belt is designed to inflate on impact within 40 milliseconds using cold compressed gas. Standard air bags use a heat-generating chemical reaction to inflate at a rapid rate, which would have been dangerous as the air bag is held tight against the occupant's body. Instead the belt air bags inflate slowly (if you can call 40 milliseconds slow) and only reach surrounding temperatures.

Ford chose the Explore due to its popularity with families, but aims to include the feature in additional models in the future. This advancement is likely to increase Ford’s hold on industry safety ratings. Currently the automaker has more 5-star U.S government and IIHS safety ratings than any other competitor.

Can America Once Again Lead the Automotive Industry?

Looking at the American automotive industry in recent years, it’s hard to believe that we once lead the world in mass producing quality automobiles. After last year’s near collapse, American auto manufactures are struggling to regain a foothold and many plant workers are still left jobless. However change could be around the corner.

This Tuesday Fisker announced it will purchase a closed GM assembly plant in Delaware, with plans to begin producing plug-in hybrid electric cars by 2012. The luxury automaker expects to create or support 5,000 new jobs, producing up to 100,000 vehicles per year.

CEO Henrik Fisker described the production of hybrid electric vehicles as “the most dramatic change in the car industry ever.” He is optimistic that America can once again become “a leader in advanced vehicle technology.”

Fisker will use the Wilmington Delaware plant to build vehicles under Project NINA. Aiming to prove electric cars can be equal to or better than today’s gasoline powered models. If consumers embrace these new vehicles other automakers are sure to follow. With gasoline prices on the rise and increased environmental awareness we can only expect they will.

How Anti-Lock Braking Systems Work

Most new vehicles today have some type of anti-lock braking system, or ABS. When buying a car, you should be aware if it has ABS or not. With some new cars it's standard and with others it's available as an option.

ABS is a safety feature designed to help a vehicle stop faster, without skidding and with the driver being able to maintain steering control. ABS works by preventing the wheels from locking up as the vehicle slows down during an emergency stop. By preventing the wheels from locking up, it enables the driver to maintain steering control and to stop in the shortest possible distance.

ABS will shorten stopping distances on dry roads and may shorten stopping distances on wet or slippery roads. On soft surfaces, such as unpacked snow, ABS may actually lengthen stopping distances. In wet or slippery conditions, you should still make sure you drive carefully and always keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of you.

It's important to know how to use ABS properly. When the ABS system is in operation you will feel a pulsing in the brake pedal. Press the brake pedal firmly, don't pump the brakes and don't let go until the vehicle has stopped. The ABS will do all the work. ABS systems can vary from one manufacturer to another. Make sure to read the owners manual for a more detailed guide on the ABS system in your car.

Sounds Good: Automakers Team with Audio Companies

High-end audio companies and luxury automakers are pairing up frequently these days, offering specially-designed sound systems to those who normally might not be familiar with the world of audio technology.

Bang and Olufsen, a Danish audio company, spent almost three years developing a system for the Audi A8. Engineers worked for hundreds of hours just tuning the system to the A8's interior.

Initially, many manufacturers thought the option of a $6,300 stereo system was far-fetched. However, sales after the first year proved the skeptics wrong.

They expected 1,000 of the A8 systems to sell, but numbers were closer to 4,000.

But do these exclusive systems only belong in luxury cars?

Some would say so. Look at the Subaru Outback with its 200-watt MacIntosh Sound System.

It's hard to deny that these high-quality audio systems seem to have been more successful with the luxury lot. Take the partnership between Lexus and Mark Levinson, for example, beginning in 2001.

And now, many are anticipating the 2009 Jaguar XF, which will feature a system from British company, Bowers and Wilkins.

Though it seems a little presumptuous to say that only luxury cars should have quality sound systems, on some level, it makes sense. A $6,300 stereo requires a pretty impressive partner.

Hybrid truck technology will keep the big boys rolling

There is no mistake that the Nissan Titan is a lot of truck for the money. But who has the money to spend on this much truck these days, if it isn't earning its keep?

Don't get me wrong. Since the Titan's debut, it has slowly made its way into the market owned by heavyweights like Ford's F-150 and Chevy's Silverado.

But just like everything else these days, gas prices are killing consumers. And if your truck's not earning you money, it's difficult to come up with logic to justify having one just for its looks or because you want to make a statement about your attitude.

Still, America has spoken loud and clear before when it comes to telling it what to do. And contrary to a previous opinion written here, it looks like there will always be somebody driving a truck somewhere ... just to be driving a truck.

Already hybrid technology is at the front of vehicle manufacturer's lists. And hybrid truck technology has been something the government and armed forces have been tinkering with for years.

So as we talk about electric cars and cars that run on all kinds of alternate energy, get ready for the next big thing - the big hybrid trucks.

Volvo Leads in Safety System Availability

A recent report put out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety assessed the effectiveness of five new safety features that are starting to roll out in many luxury brands. Volvo is the only brand that offers all five safety systems that were researched.

The features that ranked highest in their potential to prevent the most accidents were "Forward Collision" and "Lane Departure" warning systems. Both of these systems alert the driver with sound and lights, and in some cases automatically apply the brakes to help drivers avoid crashes. The Institute's recent report estimates that about 2.75 million collisions could be avoided in the US each year by these two systems.

The remaining safety systems reported on were "Brake Assist", "Blind Spot Detection", "Adoptive Headlamps". It is still too early to determine whether any of these five safety systems truly live up to the statistics estimated by the report. But, kudos to Volvo for living up to their long-standing, solid safety reputation. To read more about these features and the report check out this vehicle safety article.

Coming in 2009: "Stolen Vehicle Slowdown"

OnStar is already helping car owners and police track down stolen cars to the tune of about 700 to 800 reports a month. But starting this coming Fall, "Stolen Vehicle Slowdown" will be added to over a million GM vehicles.

This new system enables police to remotely shut off the gas on a stolen vehicle they are pursuing.  Once a policeman has decided slowing the car to a stop will not endanger any bystanders or fellow drivers, an OnStar operator can shut down power to the car's accelerator.

While testing this out in two Chevrolet Tahoes in Washington, OnStar representative Jim Kobus noticed that the most common reaction of police officers was, "Oh, how cool." This technology could change Hollywood chase scenes forever, but more importantly it will save some lives and help recover some stolen cars.

Low-speed car might make sense, but maybe not to everybody just yet

"I think the average American is really trying to figure out what they can do to positively affect the environment."-Ian Clifford, founder and chief executive officer of Zenn Motor Co.

As automotive executives, engineers and designers scramble these days to make sure they're in the right mindsets as the industry transforms into a more "Green conscious" philosophy, they'd better be careful not to over-think things.

In other words, yes, Americans want more eco-friendly, low speed vehicles, as Mr. Clifford suggests in a recent story on low-speed electric cars. But, currently those vehicles aren't made to be driven everywhere. So eventually, something will have to be designed to gain a "speed-conscious" society's acceptance.

Low-speed electric vehicles, which are not built to travel faster than 25 miles an hour, may not end up in speed-crazy urban environments ... yet. But, I never thought I'd see a guy in a golf cart on the New Jersey Turnpike like I did last summer either.

No, I have no clue whether he made it off safely or not.

Volvo Launches the First Alco-lock for Vehicles

In Sweden, Volvo has launched a new feature called the Alcoguard. It's a device that is about the size of a remote control that can be installed by Volvo dealers to prohibit drunk drivers from being able to start the engine.

Right now the device is only available in Sweden, but it's slated to be offered as an option throughout the rest of Europe and the US soon. Though private owners can also opt for the installation of an Alcoguard, Volvo is anticipating that most sales will be in the business-related segments-for example company cars, taxis and government employee vehicles.

Alcoguard uses the same technology the police use to gauge a driver's level of inebriation. To start the car, a driver must blow air into the device. The results of the test are transmitted to the cars electronic control system. If the device returns red-level results, the engine will not start.

Senior Manager of Safety Strategy at Volvo had some good ideas to promote the use of Alcoguard, including offering lower prices or insurance to buyers who opt for the device. To read more about this new technology, check out this article on DueMotori.com.

Future Car Feature Wishlist for the Year 2020

This week Kevin Hall of DVICE, a group devoted to all things tech, released a list of futuristic car features he would like to see on the market by 2020.

Here are some of the highlights.

Self Driving Cars:
GM thinks this will be possible by 2015. This feature could help roads become safer, less congested, plus your car may be better informed and reactive to construction zones and detours.

Car that Park Themselves:
The Lexus LS460 is already pretty close to automating parking. But by 2020, it would be great if systems could handle parallel parking without any driver assistance. I wonder if in the future drivers will be able to use automation during driving tests?...

Get Rid of Fossil Fuels:
It would be incredible if by 2020 we all have a vehicle that runs on something other than fossil fuels, something nicer to our planet. Plus, I am adding to this item, that I want these dream vehicles to be reasonably priced too! OK. This timeline may be a bit too ambitious, guess we'll see...

Finger Vein Scanners to Control Systems:
When the Sync system just isn't futuristic enough, then finger vein scanning which could assist in controlling all the vehicle's interior features without reaching just may be the thing next best thing.

Car to Save Humans from Themselves:
A couple examples DVICE gives are slowly pulling off the road if a driver falls asleep, or not starting at all if the driver is intoxicated.

Flying Cars:
Kevin Hall admits, "I don't trust the quality of driving I see out on the roads every day to translate into a safe aerial environment." But don't we all want a vehicle like George Jetson's when it comes down to it?

To read the full list, go to DVICE. What features would you like to see by 2020? Post and let us know.