Low Cost Auto Insurance – Thanks To Science

Cars that steer, brake and even drive themselves?

Such things were the stuff of science fiction only a few years ago, but today, such safety technologies are real – and may result in new, low cost insurance for consumers.

Always a Good Idea
Of course, buying a car with the latest safety and anti-theft devices, such as anti-lock brakes, collision cages, airbags, running lights and other equipment means that you’ll enjoy a lower auto insurance cost. You can also add such equipment from a wide selection of aftermarket parts and retrofits available on today’s market, which commonly includes car alarms, wheel locks and more.

Taking it Further
Recently, car manufacturers and computer hardware and software companies such as Intel have been taking the next step. Recently, Japanese auto maker Nissan has developed a new and innovative safety feature, which they are calling “Forward Collision Avoidance Assist.” This new technology was introduced earlier this summer, and uses a combination of seventy-year-old technology and the latest in computer software and hardware.

At the heart of the forward Collision Avoidance Assist concept is radar, which was first developed during the Second World War. The radar device is mounted just behind the vehicle’s front bumper. When an impending collision is detected – the vehicle is moving too close at a high rate of speed – the radar signals the car’s on-board computer, which then backs off on the throttle automatically as it applies the brake.

Wait! There’s More…
Additional recent innovations that may help drivers to enjoy new, low car insurance rates include vehicles that can not only detect obstacles, but actually take active steps to avoid crashes as well as send accident reports to law enforcement and insurance companies automatically – and even send messages to other drivers.

For example, Intel’s new “Connected Car,” which was demonstrated this spring, features a complete array of video cameras and sensors that function like a mini “black box” (the event recorder used aboard airliners). The video and sonar devices are tied to the vehicle’s controls and can take over operation of the vehicle if the driver is incapacitated or appears to be behaving recklessly.
Ultimately, this may result in vehicles that can virtually drive themselves, much like Will Smith’s 2035 Audi in the sci-fi film I, Robot. All a driver will need to do is input his/her starting point and destination – the vehicle itself will do the rest.
Obviously, this technology has a way to go before it enters the mainstream market. There are several issues to be considered, not the least of which is privacy; such devices could conceivably allow anyone to keep close tabs on anyone else without the latter’s knowledge or permission. The implications for carjackers, thieves and stalkers should be painfully obvious.
Nonetheless, these new technologies will eventually make the roads and highways much safer – and those who operate motor vehicles on them will enjoy the lowest auto insurance rates in history as a result.