Just a couple of decades ago, a safe vehicle was one with a high-strength body, good distribution of forces in the event of a crash, and a solid set of airbags. As automakers and regulators continue to push the envelope of what is available in the world of safety tech, we have seen a measurable drop in the number of collisions, serious injuries and fatalities.
Here are 10 cutting-edge technologies leading the way in 2015 toward a safer road ahead.
Even inexpensive subcompact cars come with rear-mounted "backup" cameras these days, but some cars take this a step further with 360-degree systems that use multiple cameras to provide a bird's eye view all around the car. Pioneered by Infiniti with its AroundView system, they augment the cameras with radar and sensors to digitally recreate what you might see if you were looking down from above. This represents extra utility for very tight spaces like parking garages where a backup camera alone might not do the job, also allowing the driver to check blind spots to the car's sides both safely and quickly.