Top drawer

The motor car has brought mobility and much pleasure to our lives, but unfortunately accidents resulting in injury and death continue to plague our roads. Rarely does a day go by without news of fatalities, and road-related accidents remain a main cause of death in the UAE.

There are so many factors involved in this thorny multifaceted problem, and the solution seems to continually remain beyond reach. But there appears to be good news – there are major innovations happening in the automobile sector.

Perhaps soon enough there will be hope that car accidents may become history.

Automotive manufacturing geniuses are experimenting with innovations that will revolutionise the way we drive – and none is as active as Mercedes in bringing safety-related inspiration to the industry.

A car not for ... 'the day after tomorrow'

In fact, Mercedes-Benz has not only spearheaded safety for its own vehicles, but for over 100 years it has also released its inventions publicly, so that all other manufacturers could improve safety and ultimately better protect motorists the world over.

The safety cage in 1951, anti-lock brakes (ABS) in 1978, pre-tensioners to seatbelts in 1981, traction control in 1986, first air bags offered in the North American market in 1986 – stability control, brake assist and many other types of safety equipment were all developed, tested, and installed into passenger cars – first – by Mercedes-Benz.

As early as 1900, a member of the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft board, Herr Jellinek, laid down strict specifications for new models: "I don't want a car for today or tomorrow, it will be the car of the day after tomorrow."

So where better to find out what's cooking today for the safety of cars tomorrow?

Julian Millward-Hopkins of DaimlerChrysler Middle East is kind enough to address my queries. He explains that engineers have already developed a whole raft of safety features for the S-Class luxury saloon which reduce the risk of injury to pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists in the event of a collision, plus a system that automatically brakes the car before an impending rear-end collision.

Tests are also underway on an intelligent system that could reduce accidents at traffic lights and road junctions. What does the future hold in store?

Seeing red

Well, from the initial premise that around 60 per cent of all urban traffic accidents occur at intersections as a result of red lights or stop signs being ignored, and the realisation that these collisions are mainly caused by the driver's attention being diverted, or by a false assessment of the situation or by a late reaction, DaimlerChrysler experts estimate that about half of the accidents at traffic lights or intersections could be avoided if drivers were warned and could take evasive action.

Therefore, the objective is an overall reduction of urban accidents by 30 per cent – not bad for starters.

The system developed by DaimlerChrysler includes a video camera behind the windscreen that supplies traffic pictures and includes a picture-processing algorithm that analyses these images using pattern recognition.

For example, bright lights, such as traffic signals, can be distinguished from brake lights. The system will also recognise road signs and other markings.

"The intelligent assistance system uses video cameras to recognise potential dangers, such as traffic approaching from the side, so drivers can take appropriate action to avoid potential collisions," says Nicholas Speeks, president and CEO, DaimlerChrysler Middle East.

Even greater safety advances can be achieved with the addition of Intersection Assistant, a motion recognition system. Information from a digital roadmap ensures that two cameras can monitor the road ahead to provide advance information of approaching traffic lights or intersections.

Within a millisecond, the system registers objects moving towards the vehicle from the side. By analysing the direction, motion, distance and speed in relation to that of its own vehicle, the system assesses whether there is a risk of an accident.

No matter whether cross traffic, traffic lights or road intersections, if the object has been recognised and the driver does not react, he or she receives a visual and then acoustic warning.

Automatic emergency braking has also been performed with engineers aiming to give maximum support for anticipatory driving without relieving drivers of their responsibility.

Sudden stops

Another driving situation which has caught the interest of Mercedes innovators is when the car in front has for some reason come to a stop, and the driver realises this only when he is upon it at regular speed.

This also has happened to me on numerous occasions, all, thankfully, resulting in a fright and a stomp on the brake – but also passing that fright on to the driver behind me!

The new PRE-SAFE(r) brake from Mercedes-Benz represents a further milestone in car safety. The only system of its kind in the world, it automatically brakes the car before an impending rear-end collision, therefore either preventing the collision or significantly reducing the severity of the accident.

The PRE-SAFE(r) brake will be available for the S-Class and the new luxury CL-Class Coupé from autumn 2006. This new system complements Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS), which was introduced last year and which provides visual and audible warnings if it detects that your vehicle is about to run into the vehicle in front and automatically calculates the brake force required to prevent the crash. This brake boosting force is available the moment the driver steps on the brake pedal.

The PRE-SAFE(r) brake goes a step further. If the driver does not react to the BAS PLUS warnings from the cockpit and there is a severe danger of an accident, the system triggers automatic partial braking and decelerates the S-Class at up to 0.4 g (approx. four m/s).

This is equivalent to around 40 per cent of the maximum braking performance. Autonomous partial braking provides the driver with a further clear prompt to take action, apart from the visual and audible warnings.

If he or she immediately goes on to activate the brake, maximum braking force will be available, and – depending on the given situation – it may be possible to prevent the accident at the last moment.

If this is not possible, the PRE-SAFE(r) brake reduces the severity of the impact, which in turn reduces the risk of injury for the occupants of the car. The PRE-SAFE(r) brake is an assistance system, which helps the driver at critical moments.

Night view

The brake assist and the intersection video innovations can be combined to help prevent injury to pedestrians.

According to German accident statistics, more than 55 per cent of accidents resulting in pedestrian fatalities occur at night or in semi-darkness at dawn or dusk.

The Mercedes-Benz is committed to helping drivers see better in the dark.
The new S-Class is equipped with powerful projection-beam
headlamps – with optional bi-xenon technology – which play an
important role in this respect.

The Stuttgart-based car manufacturer offers bi-xenon technology in combination with the Active Light System and cornering light function which illuminate areas around the vehicle which are left in darkness by normal headlamps.

These features make an effective contribution to the prevention of pedestrian accidents at intersections and junctions.

However, the real innovation is Night View Assist, another world first for Mercedes-Benz which will be premiered in the S-Class. Based
on infra-red light technology, the system is available in combination with bi-xenon headlamps and the Active Light System.

In the dark, the newly developed night view assist system provides the driver with a much greater range of vision than conventional low-beam headlamps, enabling the course of the road, pedestrians, cyclists and obstacles to be seen much sooner.