HISTORY101 - Evolution of Car Safety
We are approaching a huge
milestone in automobile history, the introduction and predicted wide use of
driverless motor vehicles. It seems like
this might be a good time to review the history of car safety to see how far
we’ve come, and perhaps how far we have to go.
After a short introduction, I
will review the history of car safety improvements in timeline format, decade
by decade since the early 1900s. Then, I
will review the safety features in today’s modern vehicles, evaluate the
success of improved automobile safety over the years, and finally talk about
future additional safety possibilities.
I will list my sources at the
end.
Introduction
Automobiles have been in development since
1769, when Frenchman Nicolas-Joseph Cugno developed the first steam-powered
automobile capable of human transportation.
More than a century later, in 1872,
American George Brayton invented the first commercial liquid-fueled
internal combustion engine. In 1886,
German automobile engineer Karl Benz began the first commercial production of
practical motor vehicles with an internal combustion gasoline engine.
However, automobiles did not come into
common use until the early 20th century, when American Henry Ford
produced an automobile that most people could afford. Popularized by Ford's Model T in 1908, the
automobile gave the average person more mobility and personal freedom while
also spawning a revolution in the market place.
1908 Model T automobile.
Automobile transportation has come a
long way since Henry Ford’s Model T.
Through the years, as advancements were made to improve speed and
dependability, other progress was made to further the safety of those who drive
and ride in motor vehicles. Decade by
decade, improvements have been added and tweaked to ensure the safest ride
possible. Even so, automobile accidents
with injuries due to driver errors, or a part malfunction, still occur far too
often.
Safety features are continuing to
evolve as driverless vehicles enter the mix.
The
autonomous car is expected to be safer than existing vehicles, by eliminating
the single most dangerous element - the driver.
The Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law
School claims that "Some ninety percent of motor vehicle crashes are
caused at least in part by human error.”
But while new safety standards specify the required safety, it is still
a burden on the industry to demonstrate acceptable safety.
Let’s take a look at how car safety
features have evolved since the early 1900s.
These features include passive features that help to protect
occupants during a crash, and active features that use technology to
assist in preventing a crash.
Timeline of Car Safety
Features
1900 - 1940s. The
first motor vehicles were heavy, solid, and difficult to control, making
crashes commonplace. The first fifty
years of the 20th century produced these safety measures that
reduced the chances or severity of accidents:
1903 - Windscreen wiper blades were
developed and patented by Mary Anderson.
A simple lever inside the car connected to a rubber blade on the outside
that was operated by hand.
1903 - Massachusetts and Missouri were the first states to require a
driver license, but there was no test associated with the license.
1905 - Treads on auto tires were
introduced to protect the tire carcass from direct contact with the road, and
provide drivers with better traction, especially in wet or icy conditions.
1911 - Rear view mirrors were used for
the first time in the opening Indianapolis 500 race by Ray Harroun, who
attached it to his Marmon Wasp.
1914 - Hollywood actress and
silent-movie star, Florence Lawrence, invented the earliest turning
indicators. This was originally called
an auto-signaling arm on the back of the fender which could be raised or
lowered by electrical push buttons.
1921 - Four-wheel hydraulic brakes
were used in road cars for the first time by Frederick Duesenberg.
1921 - Benjamin Katz invented the
headrest to reduce the harm caused by whiplash in rear-end accidents, but they
wouldn’t be used in vehicles until many years later.
1934 - General Motors performed the
first ever crash test.
1934 - Laminated glass, or safety
glass, was used in windshields to prevent them from shattering on impact.
1934 - Finland’s Nokian company
introduced snow tires, designed for use on snow and ice.
1937 -
Chrysler, Plymouth, DeSoto, and Dodge added such items as a
flat, smooth dash with recessed controls, rounded door handles, a windshield
wiper control made of rubber, and the back of the front seat heavily padded to
provide protection for rear passengers.
1939 - Buick introduced turn signals
as a standard feature.
1947 - The Tucker Sedan was the first
car with padded dashboards, which aimed to reduce face and chest damage when
hit front-on.
1948 - Michelin invented and
introduced radial tires for better traction and handling, particularly
during emergency braking and sharp turns, enhancing overall road grip and
stability.
1949 - The Chrysler Imperial
Crown was the first car to come with standard disc brakes.
1949 - The first ever crash test dummy
was created by Samuel W. Alderson, for aviation safety research. Alderson then created a crash test dummy for
motor vehicles in the early 1950s.
1949 - Nash was the first
American car manufacturer to offer lap seat belts as a factory option. They were installed in 40,000 cars, but
buyers did not want them because they were uncomfortable and weren’t very
effective in protecting people. The
feature was "met with insurmountable sales resistance,” and Nash reported that after one year,
"only 1,000 had been used" by customers.
Front-seat lap belts in 1949 were unpopular because they were uncomfortable and didn’t protect the upper body in crashes.
1914 - The first stop sign was
installed in Detroit.
1918 - The first three color stop
light was installed in Detroit.
1950s. The 1950s brought huge leaps in car
safety technology with the introduction of several features still in use today,
like the airbag and three-point seatbelt.
Here’s a list of the major advances:
1951 -
Walter Linderer created the airbag, which could be released by the driver or by
contact to the car bumper.
1952 -
Mercedes Benz engineer Bela Barenyi invented the crumple zone concept, designed
to absorb the force of impact in a crash.
1953 -
Jaguar and Dunlop made a breakthrough with more reliable caliper-type disc
brakes, helping the small company to win the 1953 24-Hour Le Mans.
1955 -
Ford offered lap seat belts as an option.
Again, they were not popular, with only 2% of Ford buyers choosing to
pay for seat belts in 1956.
1955 -
Bumper shocks were introduced.
1958 -
The UN established the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations,
whose purpose was to promote and advance the safety of motor vehicles through a
set of international standards. Many of the
most lifesaving safety innovations, like seat belts and roll
cage construction, were brought to market under its auspices.
1959 -
Volvo introduced Swedish safety engineers Nils Bohlin’s three-point
seatbelt, strapping over the lap and shoulder, to provide extra
protection. The new seat belts were better because they were comfortable to wear, they
were easy to buckle up, and they secured the upper body as well. The three-point seatbelt remains one of the most effective car
safety features ever created.
Nils Bohlin invented the three-point seatbelt that is now standard in automobiles.
1959 -
American Motors Corporation offered the first optional head rests for the front
seat.
1959 -
The Cadillac Cyclone concept by Harley Earl had
"a radar-based crash-avoidance system" located on the front of
the vehicle that would make audible and visual signals to the driver if there
were obstacles in the vehicle's path.
Fun Fact:
1955 -
Michigan became the first state to require driver’s education.
1960s. In the mid-1969s, public pressure
grew in the United States to increase the safety of cars, culminating with
the publishing of Unsafe at Any Speed, by Ralph Nader, an
activist lawyer, and the report prepared by the National Academy of
Sciences entitled Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected
Disease of Modern Society.
In response, the 1960s saw a boom in car safety rules which made
seatbelts and head restraints, among several other features, mandatory in cars.
1963 - The inertia-reel seatbelt was
introduced by Excelsior Motor Company, allowing the seatbelt to re-adjust to
the passenger’s preference. Intermittent
wipers were also introduced.
1964 - Volvo developed first
rear-facing child seat.
1966 - the National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act was passed to empower the federal government to set and administer new
safety standards for motor vehicles and road traffic
safety.
President Lyndon Johnson signed the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act on September 9, 1966.
1966 - Padded dashboards became
mandatory, as well as front and rear lap belts, plus white backup lights. The Jensen FF became the first car to feature
the anti-lock braking system that was previously used in aircraft.
1967 - The National Transportation
Safety Board was created as an independent U.S. government investigative agency, responsible
for civil transportation accident investigation.
1968 - The first Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards in the U.S. made it mandatory to have collapsible steering
columns, side marker lights (to indicate the overall length of the vehicle),
front-seat shoulder belts, and front-seat head restraints in all vehicles.
1970s. More
legislation was passed in the 1970s. And
electronics were introduced to car safety technology.
1970 - The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) was formed from predecessor agencies to focus on
transportation safety in the United States, charged with writing and enforcing
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
1970 - Ford offered rear wheel
anti-brake lock systems.
1971 - Buick introduced MaxTrac traction
control, which used an early computer system to detect rear wheel spin, and
modulate engine power to those wheels, to provide the most traction.
1974 - General Motors provided
optional airbags for the driver and passenger’s seats.
The airbag vehicle occupant-restraint system used a bag designed to inflate exceptionally quickly and deflate during a collision.
1976 - The crash test
dummy Hybrid III was introduced to assess the impacts of car
collisions. It represented the 50th
percentile male standing at approximately 5' 9" tall and weighing 171 lbs.
1978 - Mercedes introduced the first
electronic anti-lock braking system in its Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
1979 - The NHTSA began crash testing
new cars and publishing results to inform consumers and encourage
manufacturers to improve the safety of their vehicles.
Fun Fact:
1974 - A federal law was enacted that
cars couldn’t start until seat belts were interlocked, but due to it being
so inconvenient, it was immediately repealed.
1980s. Airbags
were first installed in production vehicles as standard equipment, instead of
an option as was done in the mid-1970s.
1984 - New York State
passed the first U.S. law requiring seat belt use in passenger cars. Seat belt
laws have since been adopted by 49 states (New
Hampshire has not). NHTSA estimates
the resulting increased seat belt use saves 10,000 lives per year in the United
States.
1986 - The central third
brake light was mandated in North America with
most of the world following with similar standards in automotive
lighting.
1990s. More
electronic systems began to be installed in vehicles, including brake assist systems
and electronic stability control systems.
Crash-testing of all vehicles also became mandatory.
1991 - Rear view cameras were introduced
by Toyota.
1991 - Volvo introduced its side
impact protection system, designed to spread the force of impact over the
entire side of the car rather than one section.
1993 - The Australian New Car
Assessment Program ran crash tests, and used the results to provide a rating
system that ranked the passenger safety of vehicles in serious front and side
collisions.
1994 - Volvo introduced side impact
airbags.
1995 - Mercedes-Benz and Bosch
introduced electronic stability control, helping to improve vehicular
stability.
1998 - All vehicles were required to
have dual-front airbags.
2000s. The new millennium brought new protection measures for
pedestrians, as well as the continued development of computer technology,
motion sensors, and cameras.
2000 - Iteris developed the Lane
Departure Warning System, which used visual, audible, and vibration warnings to
alert drivers if they’re leaving their lane.
2001 - Trunk releases were made
mandatory.
2003 - The Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety began conducting side-impact crash tests.
Side-impact test on Mazda CX-3.
2004 - NHTSA released new tests
designed to test the rollover risk of new cars and SUVs.
2004 - Volvo introduced the blind spot
information system using cameras and motion sensors to avoid accidental
collisions when the driver is parking or switching lanes.
2008 - Volvo introduced autonomous
emergency braking, automatically braking to help drivers mitigate or prevent
collisions when sensors pick up an oncoming vehicle.
2009 - Citroen and Bosch introduced an
intelligent anti-skid system called Snowmotion, giving better vehicle control
in snowy or icy conditions.
2009 - NHTSA upgraded its roof-crush standard
for vehicles weighing 6,000 pounds or less.
The new standard increased the crush load requirement from 1.5 to 3
times the vehicle's curb weight.
2010 - Volvo developed the pedestrian
detection system, causing cars to brake automatically when they detect a
pedestrian. It used camera and radar
technology to keep an eye out for other vehicles and pedestrians.
2010s to Today. Autonomous
(driverless) vehicles begin development, with safety features that take human
error out of the driving equation.
2015 - The first self-driving cars
created by Google were tested in San Francisco Bay area roadways.
2016 - The United States government
released guidelines for self-driving cars.
Modern Vehicle Safety Features
With the timeline of automobile safety
improvements behind us, let’s review the passive and active safety features in today’s
modern vehicles.
Seatbelts. The standard 3-point seat belt
system consists of a shoulder and lap belt which are connected to a buckle,
retractor, and anchor. The retractor
allows the belt webbing to be pulled in and out as the occupant places the belt
on or off. The buckle allows for the
easy attachment of the belt by the occupant. The anchor provides the 3rd connection (to the
frame of the vehicle). The system can be
adjusted for user size.
Passive safety systems in today’s modern automobiles.
Airbags. Inflatable
airbags are designed to inflate instantly in the event of a crash to cushion
the impact and keep the vehicle's occupants safe. To inflate, airbags use an array of collision
sensors that activate inflators. Automakers can position airbags
throughout the vehicle's cabin, including in the steering wheel, in the
passenger's side of the dashboard, on the side of each front seat, between the
driver and front passenger, along the roof where the window meets the roof, in
the knee area, and more.
Deformation Zones. Deformation zones,
also known as crumple zones, are designed areas of a car that absorb impact
energy during a crash to protect passengers. They are typically located
at the front and rear of the car's body shell.
Forward Collision Warning. Forward
collision warning uses radar in the front bumper to detect vehicles ahead of
you. If it detects a stopped vehicle,
and you don't activate the brakes quickly enough, the system will emit an
audible and visual warning to stop.
Some forward collision warning systems
also include a following distance monitor that detects how closely you're
following the vehicle ahead of you. If
it detects you're too close, it will emit a visual warning to increase the
following distance.
Active safety systems on today’s modern automobiles.
Blind-Spot Monitoring. Blind-spot
monitoring or blind-spot warning, uses radars mounted on the rear bumper or
side-view mirrors to detect traffic in a vehicle's natural blind spot. When it detects a vehicle in the blind spot,
most cars will illuminate a light on or near the corresponding side-view
mirror. If you turn on your turn signal, the light on or near
the mirror will flash, and some vehicles will also play an audible
warning.
In some newer vehicles, there is also
blind-spot crash avoidance. This system
prevents the driver from switching lanes when it detects a vehicle in the blind
spot by applying light pressure on the steering wheel in the direction of the
original travel lane. Other vehicles, like
the Kia K900, include a camera that gives you a glimpse of the blind
spot.
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. Rear
cross-traffic alert generally piggybacks off the radar sensors for blind-spot
monitoring systems. It uses these
sensors to detect traffic coming from either side of the vehicle's rear end
while backing up. If it detects a vehicle approaching your rearward path, it
will emit a sound display a warning.
Some new vehicles have more advanced
systems that include automatic rear braking.
It not only detects crossing traffic, but will also stop the vehicle if
you attempt to proceed into the crossing traffic.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC
uses radar and other sensors to detect vehicles ahead of you while driving on
the highway using cruise control. If a
vehicle ahead of you is driving at a slower speed, the ACC slows your vehicle
down to match the speed of the vehicle in front of you, while maintaining the
following distance you set. Once the vehicle is no longer in front
of you, ACC accelerates your vehicle back to the original speed you set.
Some ACC systems also have full
stop-and-go functionality. If you
encounter stopped traffic, the ACC system will bring the vehicle to a full stop,
and accelerate once the traffic starts moving again.
Rearview Camera. A
rearview camera, or backup camera, is a rearward-facing camera that activates
when you put the vehicle in reverse. This gives you a clear view of your
rearward path.
Earlier backup cameras showed only the
rearward path, but newer systems include lines that show how far you are from
an object. More advanced rearview
cameras have dynamic guidelines that show the projected path as you turn the
front wheels. Depending on the vehicle, the rearview
camera display is either on the infotainment screen or the rearview
mirror.
Some more advanced camera systems
include cameras on the sides and front of the vehicle. The system stitches these camera feeds
together to create a simulated 360-degree view of the vehicle and its
surroundings.
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS). Though
there have been many changes over the years, the purpose of the ABS has
remained the same: to prevent the wheels from locking up during hard
braking.
Today's ABS uses a sensor at each
wheel to detect lockup. If it senses
wheel lockup, the system overrides the driver's input and begins pumping
the brakes 100 times per second to help the driver maintain control
of the vehicle. Vehicles can have ABS on only the rear
wheels or all four wheels.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC). ESC prevents a vehicle from skidding
or spinning out. It detects a probable
spinout by monitoring the direction the vehicle is going and the direction the
steering wheel is turned. If the system detects a potential
spinout, it manipulates the throttle and activates the brakes on select wheels
to maintain control. ESC works in
conjunction with the vehicle's traction control system.
Traction Control. Traction control helps your vehicle
regain traction when the system senses slippage. The traction control system monitors the
vehicle's speed and the tires' actions.
If it senses one tire is spinning faster than the vehicle is moving,
indicating hydroplaning or skidding, it slows the vehicle by adjusting the
throttle or applying the brakes to that wheel. This system works in conjunction with
your vehicle's ABS.
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB). AEB uses radar to constantly detect
the distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. If the distance between the two vehicles
closes too rapidly, without the driver activating the brakes, the antilock
braking system engages fully.
AEB is designed to at least slow the
vehicle down to minimize the damage to both vehicles. In some cases, though, the system can stop
your vehicle before it hits the vehicle ahead of you. Many modern AEB systems also have bicyclist
and pedestrian detection for added protection.
Lane Departure Warning. Lane
departure warning uses cameras mounted on the front bumper to detect the
lane-indicator lines on a road. If it
detects you are about to cross over one of these lines and enter another lane,
the system activates a visual and audible alarm. In some cases, it will even vibrate the
steering wheel or seat.
Some more advanced systems also
include lane-keeping assist. This system
detects when you're about to leave the lane unintentionally, and the electric
power steering system lightly pulls you back into the lane.
Automatic High-Beam Headlights. This system
uses a front-mounted sensor to detect oncoming headlights or taillights ahead
of you. If it detects these lights, it
automatically switches the headlights to their low-beam setting to prevent
blinding oncoming drivers or the drivers ahead of you.
Adaptive Headlights. Adaptive headlights promote improved
visibility around curves as they actually pivot in the direction the car is
traveling.
Park Assist (PA). PA uses
front and rear radar sensors to detect how close you are to another vehicle or
object, while pulling into a parking space.
As you approach the vehicle or object, the PA system beeps faster and
displays a graphic showing the distance you are from the object. Some
more advanced PA systems also include side sensors.
Driver Monitoring. This
system detects if the driver is not keeping eyes on the road or becoming
drowsy, and can warn you to take a break.
Rear Occupant Warning. This systems
senses when a passenger (e.g., small child) is still in the car after the
driver turns the engine off, and gives a warning.
Automobile Safety Statistics
To find out the impact of adding safety features in cars over
the years - we need to look at the number of annual deaths, the number of
drivers, and total miles driven in a year.
Between 1913 and 2022, the number of
motor-vehicle deaths in the United States (including all types of motor
vehicles: passenger cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles) increased 996%, from
4,200 deaths in 1913 to 46,027 in 2022.
The chart below shows the appalling history of motor-vehicle annual
deaths.
U.S motor vehicle deaths per year, 1913 to 2021.
In 1913, there were about 1.3 million
vehicles on the road and 2 million drivers (The number of miles driven was not
yet estimated.) In 2022, there were
283.4 million vehicles, 235 million licensed drivers, and 3,196 billion miles
driven annually.
The chart below shows the number U.S.
motor-vehicle deaths annually per 100,000 drivers. The general-use year of some of the key auto
safety features is shown for reference.
The $4 gas point reflects the apparent association of reduced traffic
crashes with high gasoline prices, perhaps due to fewer non-work-related trips,
and increased carpooling and public transportation
The driver population motor-vehicle death rate reached its peak in 1937 with almost 30 deaths per 100,000 population. The current rate is about 13 deaths per 100,000, representing a 57% improvement.
In 1913, 33.38 people died for every
10,000 vehicles on the road. In 2022,
the death rate was 1.50 per 10,000 vehicles, a 95% improvement.
The chart below shows U.S. motor
vehicle deaths per billion miles traveled, from1923, the first year that miles
driven was estimated.
By all measures, motor-vehicle safety
has vastly improved since the early 1900s. Vehicle safety technology has helped
make car travel safer.
Note:
Contributing to
the death toll are alcohol, speeding, lack of seat belt use, and other
problematic driver behaviors. Death
rates also vary by vehicle type, driver age, sex, and other factors. These factors are beyond the scope of this
article; for more information go to https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/yearly-snapshot#yearly-snapshot
Despite these historic drops, we
cannot remain complacent. From 2019 to
2022, the vehicle death rate increased 6.4%, the mileage death rate increased
10.8%, while the population death rate increased 16%.
Future
So much is possible for the future of
automobile safety. Here are 10 future
car technologies to look forward to - all in development today.
Animal Detection. Road kill is a problem. In America, there are about 1.5 million car
accidents every year from deer alone. With
new car technology like radars and infrared cameras, the car will be able to
detect animals and automatically apply the brakes.
Infra-Red Headlights. During
bad weather like fog, snow, and thunderstorms, driving conditions become more
dangerous. To help drivers see further
in poor driving conditions, several car companies are turning to infrared
headlights.
Remote Vehicle Shut Down. Sometimes
cars need to be shut down because of reckless driving or missed car payments. Remote vehicle shutdown will allow technology
to shut down a car within a 250-500 feet radius. There are other logistics to consider, like
when to turn off a car. There is still
inertia and gravity in play and this technology could potentially disengage a
car in mid-traffic.
Driver Override System. While
all cars might not be autonomous, they might be semi-autonomous. With the
driver override system, the car will be able to apply the brakes even in some
cases when a driver is accelerating.
Dynamic Infrastructure Alerts. Car
companies are investing in this future car technology to connect with real-time
infrastructure maps to monitor changing driving parameters and road conditions.
This will be like Google Maps, but with
more real-time data based on construction and traffic and hazards like
potholes.
Augmented Reality Windshield. Augmented
reality will play a large role in future technologies and it might start with
the windshield on cars. While we use
windshields to see the road, the car’s dashboard might be part of the
windshield to provide real-time data on speed, fuel, temperature, and
directions.
Biometric Vehicle Access. Biometric
vehicle access would take away your keys and put them literally in your hands. Drivers
will be able to use their fingerprints to unlock their cars, and even
authenticate the driver. It
would also help with car theft, through personal biometric tracking and
authentication.
Network-Based Traffic Alerts. With
this capability, you could send messages to other drivers on the road about
current traffic conditions. With
network-based traffic alerts, drivers will be notified of congestion, and will
be able to re-route based on real-time data.
Autonomous Cars. One
of the most talked about trends is autonomous cars, especially with recent
pilot street-driving programs by several companies for both passenger and
commercial use. In the United States,
some states have already legalized self-driving cars. Lexus, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford have all
started working on self-driving cars.
These are the key elements of driverless automobiles.
Active Health Monitoring. This
technology might reduce health-related accidents - like driving for too long,
or with low blood pressure, or while intoxicated. The system will be able to detect if
someone is having a cardiovascular issue, for example a heart attack, and could
also be used to detect the symptoms of other conditions such as high blood
pressure or electrolyte imbalances. This
system might also include mood sensors, cameras that are able to read facial
signals and detect the driver’s mood.
Sad, happy, angry, or tired, your car will know whether to turn up the
heat or stop for a break. This not only benefits the driver; but
also, could make the roads safer for all users.”
Sources
My principal sources
include: “Automotive Safety,”
en.wikipedia.org; “The Evolution of Car Safety Features,” theaa.com; “The
Evolution of Vehicle Safety,” clarkfountain.com; “Advances in car safety,”
rac.com; “The Evolution of Car Safety Features Over the Decades,”
amazingcarsanddrive.com; “History of Seat Belts,” dubizzle.com; “The Latest Car
Safety Features and How They Work,” blog.cluth.ca; “Historical Fatality
Trends,” injuryfacts.nsc.org; “Fatality Facts 2022, Yearly snapshot,” iihs.org;
“Are traffic fatalities up, or down?” blogs.sas.com; “What Future Car Technologies
Will Make Roads Safe?” prescouter.com; plus, numerous other online sources.
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