Honda ahead in Active Safety

Our customers view precise steering, taut handling and superb braking as features that make our vehicles fun to drive. And Honda's racing heritage contributes to these great dynamic qualities.


But to Honda engineers, those same "go-stop-turn" characteristics are where safety begins, providing each vehicle with the dynamic ability to help our customers avoid collisions.

At Honda, these "active" safety measures traditionally include advanced suspension, brake and steering technologies, a clear field of vision for the driver—even displays, knobs and switches are located for easy operation to minimize distraction.



Honda and Acura vehicles achieve excellent handling and stability based on the fundamental design of our vehicles. Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control enhances handling stability and predictability especially in poor traction conditions (rain, snow, ice), to help you keep control during acceleration, cornering, and sudden collision-avoidance maneuvers. With minimal intrusion to the driving experience, many drivers may not even notice when VSA® is working.



Anti-lock brakes are standard equipment on all Honda and Acura models, to provide enhanced steering control under hard braking and in low-traction conditions. All Honda vehicles except the S2000 also come equipped with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), which automatically distributes brake forces to the wheels with the most stopping traction. Plus, Brake Assist Systems help recognize emergency braking situations and momentarily help apply brake force in a "panic stop" or until the driver releases the brakes.



Honda brought a sophisticated level of sporty handling and active safety to affordable passenger cars with independent suspensions that help control body movement in cornering and on bumpy surfaces. We apply this know-how to Honda and Acura light trucks as well.

The Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®) system on the Acura RL, MDX and RDX provides unprecedented handling and stability.

In straight-line driving, SH-AWD® offers dramatically improved traction, control and acceleration in all weather conditions—varying the distribution of engine torque between the front and rear wheels by up to 70 percent either way. Rear torque can also be apportioned between the left and right rear wheels by up to 100 percent on either side.

When cornering, SH-AWD® also distributes torque instantly and seamlessly between the left and right rear wheels. In a corner, the outside rear wheel (as illustrated) receives more torque than the inside rear wheel.

The superb handling of the Honda Accord provides the driver with outstanding control.
Read More...

Honda Fit won TOP SAFETY PICK award for 2009

(Picture source:Boston.com)

The 2009 Honda Fit with electronic stability control was undergoing evaluation front, side and rear crash test by IIHS. This car became the first minicar listed on Top Safety Pick award.

In the end of 2008, the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has awarded 72 cars that give proper or even the best protection to people in front, side, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. One of an advanced feature – used to be for luxurious cars only – that becomes a standard requirement, is an ESC (electronic stability control). Base on IIHS research, the feature has significantly reduced crash risk.

As the well known safety car, Volvo and its “American bro”, Ford have 16 winners, while Honda and its division Acura have 13 winners including Honda Fit with optional ESC. The Honda Fit in fact, is the first minicar to earn Top Safety Pick.

It started out in TOP SAFETY PICK program in 2006 as the Institute sorting out the commercial vehicles that had a good score in front, side and rear crash protection ratings. Those vehicles had been awarded Gold winners. While the Silver had been awarded to vehicles had good score in front and side tests ratings, and acceptable score in rear crash ratings.

In 2007, the Institute enhances their standard acceptance by requiring “good score” in rear crash testing, and incorporates the ESC, either as a standard or optional. In their website (http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr112508.html), IIHS noted: “ ESC helps drivers maintain control of their vehicles in the worst situation — loss of control at high speed — by engaging automatically when it senses vehicle instability and helping to bring a vehicle back in the intended line of travel. ESC lowers the risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash by about half, and it lowers the risk of a fatal rollover crash by as much as 70 percent.”

Each year, the Institute offers to test Top Safety Pick candidates early in the model year. Top Safety Pick is presented by vehicle size because size and weight are closely related, and both influence how well occupants will be protected in serious crashes. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford better protection in crashes than smaller, lighter ones.

Please don’t get it wrong. "Just because small cars are Top Safety Picks doesn't make them as crashworthy as larger vehicles," Lund says. "Rather, it's all the more important to choose a small car that rates highly for safety because you give up the protection of size and weight."
How they did the Crash Test

1.The frontal crash. This is the most common accident. On this test, the car runs in 40mph and experience the frontal crash. The crashworthiness is rated based on things below:
Intrusion into the occupant compartment, measured by the deep of the intrusion,
Potential injury in the driver seat, measured by record on a Hybrid III dummy.
Potential neck injury caused by poor head restraints, assessed through slow-motion recorded movie, to see how the restraint system are able to control dummy movement during the test.

2.The side impact evaluations. The evaluation is performed by crashing the car on its side. A barrier moving at 31mph – represents a front-side of a pickup or an SUV – smacks the side-body of the car. The crashworthiness is rated based:
Head protection countermeasures, assessed by record on the instrumented dummies,
The vehicle's structural performance during the impact.

3.Rear crash protection is performed in two steps:

1st Step. Rates on measurements of seat/head restraint geometry — the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man.

2nd Step. The car that has good or acceptable score on the head restraint geometry evaluation, are then continued to the crash test. The car is in stationary and hit from the rear by a 20mph running car. Using the dummy, they evaluate how the seat protects the neck.

Listed below are the 72 winners in their categories:

Large cars
Acura RL
Audi A6
Cadillac CTS
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Mercury Sable
Toyota Avalon
Volvo S80

Midsize cars
Acura TL, TSX
Audi A3, A4
BMW 3 series 4-door models
Ford Fusion with optional electronic stability control
Honda Accord 4-door models
Mercedes C class
Mercury Milan with optional electronic stability control
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy
Volkswagen Jetta, Passat

Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volkswagen Eos
Volvo C70

Small cars
Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control
Mitsubishi Lancer with optional electronic stability control
Scion xB
Subaru Impreza with optional electronic stability control
Toyota Corolla with optional electronic stability control
Volkswagen Rabbit

Minicar
Honda Fit with optional electronic stability control

Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Large SUVs
Audi Q7
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Saturn Outlook

Midsize SUVs
Acura MDX, RDX
BMW X3, X5
Ford Edge, Flex, Taurus X
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe, Veracruz
Infiniti EX35
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Nissan Murano
Saturn VUE
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota FJ Cruiser, Highlander
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Ford Escape
Honda CR-V, Element
Mazda Tribute
Mercury Mariner
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan

Large pickups
Ford F-150
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra

Small pickup
Toyota Tacoma

Source:
Read More...

small things before you drive - to avoid BIG problem

There are things before driving, you should aware and get used to, to avoid big things happen.

Drive with care.

Always—
• Plan your trips ahead of time. Decide what time to leave and which roads to take. Try to avoid heavy traffic, poor weather and high-speed areas.
• Wear your safety belt—and wear it correctly. (It should go over your shoulder and across your lap.)
• Drive at the speed limit. It’s unsafe to drive too fast or too slow.
• Be alert! Pay attention to traffic at all times.
• Keep enough distance between you and the car in front of you.
• Be extra careful at intersections. Use your turn signals and remember to look around you for people and other cars.
• Check your blind spot when changing lanes or backing up.
• Be extra careful at train tracks. Remember to look both ways for trains.
• When you take a new medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist about side effects. Many medicines may affect your driving even when you feel fine. If your medicine makes you dizzy or drowsy, talk to your doctor to find out ways to take your medicine so it doesn’t affect your driving.
Never—
• Never drink and drive.
• Never drive when you feel angry or tired. If you start to feel tired, stop your car somewhere safe. Take a break until you feel more alert.
• Never eat, drink or use a cell phone while driving.
If—
• If you don’t see well in the dark, try not to drive at night or during storms.
• If you have trouble making left turns at an intersection, make three right turns instead of one left turn.
• If you can, avoid driving in bad weather, such as during rain, sleet or snow.

Take care of your car.
• Make sure you have plenty of gas in your car.
• Have your car tuned up regularly.
• Keep your windshields and mirrors clean.
• Keep a cloth in your car for cleaning windows.
• Replace your windshield wiper blades when they become worn out.
• Consider using Rain-X® or a similar product to keep your windows clear.
• If you are shopping for a new car, look for a car with power steering and automatic transmission.

Know where you can find a ride.
How do you get around when your car is in the shop? If you don’t know the answer to this question, it’s time for you to put together a “transportation plan.”
A transportation plan is a list of all the ways that you can get around. Use this list when your car is in the shop or when you don’t feel safe driving.
Your transportation plan might include:
• Rides from friends and family
• Taxi
• Bus or train
• Senior shuttle
If you need help creating a transportation plan, your doctor can get you started.

Take a driver safety class.
To learn how to drive more safely, try taking a class. In a driver safety class, the instructor teaches you skills that you can use when you are driving.
Read More...

A New BMW “safety” feature, so Insurance Friendly.

The new BMW 3 Series comes with no spare tyre.



Is it bad news ?? No at all, She comes with run flat tyres!
Here is the "pros" n "cons"

pros
It can run at 80km/h for 150 km (or 1000km) after your tyre is fully (or partially) deflated .
It is still controllable under the circumstance where one or more tyre undergo sudden puncture.
It save your time of replacing tyre.

cons
The tyre is now still expensive.
Unaware driver could have hard time to seek the spare tyre.

Why Run Flat?
Essentially, the idea behind Run Flat is to be able to keep driving with a partially or fully deflated tyre safely.

The benefits of Run Flat are as follows:
· Safety. The vehicle continues on a straight course, even after a sudden or slow puncture on one or several tyres, and remains in control. All dynamic safety systems such as the ABS, DSC, CBC etc. are still fully active.

· Driving on. Even a moderately loaded vehicle with completely deflated tyres can be driven for at least another 150 km at a speed of 80 km/h. With a partial pressure loss, this distance increases to 1000 km, driving on residual pressure. (Remember that BMW did extensive co-development and testing with the six largest tyre manufacturers of Run Flat tyres before introducing Run Flat to its vehicles. These distances and speeds are failsafe, worst-case scenario figures. I personally completed more than 300 kms on a fully deflated tyre at an average speed of more than120 km/h. It doesn’t mean I am a hero, things like outside temperature, road condition and driving style will all impact on how far you can go before the tyre fails completely. To be safe, stick to the guidelines.)

· Added safety and convenience. The damaged tyre no longer needs to be changed at the time and place where the failure happened- which might be on the highway, in a tunnel, in the rain or in a dangerous area.

· More luggage space. The system eliminates the need to carry a spare wheel, car jack and tools. (This has caused much strife and confusion amongst 1 Series and 3 Series owners in particular, because their cars are not fitted with an emergency spare wheel. There is however now a solution to this for added peace of mind. From the parts department of your local BMW dealership, you can purchase a portable emergency spare wheel kit. The kit consists of an emergency spare wheel, a jack, a wheel spanner and a wedge to stop your car from rolling away. It all comes packaged in a neat carry-bag that can be neatly stored away when not in use. My only criticism is what on earth do you do with the flat wheel you have changed afterward? Still some work to do there. Ultimately, you really don’t need the spare, the Run Flats are good enough.)

· Weight reduction. No emergency spare wheel means a saving of about 20 kg, which helps to reduce fuel consumption.

· Integrated Run Flat indicator or TPM (Tyre Pressure Monitor). This enables early detection of slow punctures and thus helps prevent tyre damage. Sensors alert the drive if tyre pressure has dropped. More than 70% of all tyre damage is due to slow punctures.
Source: www.bmwcarclub.co.za

Read More...

Crash Avoidance Features, Insurance Friendly Features

Crashworthiness is very important for the situations where you cannot avoid a collision. On the other hand, some characteristics of a vehicle may help you avoid a crash in the first place. It is wise to consider some factors, that may help us in such situation. Besides these are Insurance Friendly Features

Braking. Good braking is critical for safety. A shorter stopping distance can prevent crashes. In general, heavier vehicles take longer to stop, though there are exceptions.

Stability Control and ABS. Both these features can help drivers retain control of their vehicles in dangerous situations. Stability control is an essential feature for top-heavy vehicles like trucks and SUVs that have an increased rollover risk. It can also help drivers of any vehicle to maintain control in adverse conditions. As stability control (ESC) is proving to be such an important safety feature, the NHTSA website now maintains a list of vehicles with stability control.

Tires. Good tires are just as important as good brakes. A quality tire can improve stopping distances, especially in poor weather. Snow and Rain tires can improve performance greatly in those conditions. Tire quality on new vehicles varies greatly, and few resources are available to compare them.

Handling. Good handling is essential for emergency maneuvers needed to avoid accidents. Poor handling can be dangerous, and can even lead to rollovers. While there are measurements for handling, it can also be subjective and drivers may find the steering to be a factor. In general, the independent suspensions found in cars and minivans allow for better handling than in most body-on-frame trucks and SUVs.

Acceleration. Emergency acceleration can sometimes help avoid an accident. Most cars are acceptable in this regard, but those with very poor acceleration might be avoided.

Traction Control and AWD. These features can also improve traction in poor weather or offroad conditions. They are very useful in areas with significant snowfall and poor snow removal, or for those who frequently use their vehicles off-road. These features do not necessarily improve braking or handling in adverse conditions!

Visibility. Many factors contribute to this very important feature. The design of the windows and pillars can cause serious blinds spots in some vehicles. Higher vehicles tend to offer a better view of traffic, especially if you need to see through another high vehicle. Seating position can also affect visibility. Good headlights are important for night visibility.

Source: Car-Safety.org
Read More...