Gas Pedal Lifts to Avoid Crash and Experimental System to Measure Driver's Alchohol Levels

[Jeanum]

I noticed an article in the Detroit Free Press today about a new safety option of interest developed by Nissan, and an experimental system to measure driver's alcohol levels.

Gas pedal lifts to avoid crash
Nissan feature due in U.S. next year

August 7, 2007

ASSOCIATED PRESS

YOKOSUKA, Japan -- Some Nissan cars will soon come with a gas pedal that lifts to warn of possible collisions, while the cars will automatically stop if drivers take their foot off the accelerator in response to the warning.

The rest of the article, which also goes on to describe an experimental system to measure driver's alchohol levels, is viewable at:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...708070392/1014

[UlrikeDG]

That sounds like a disaster. I take my foot off the gas to SLOW DOWN. If I want to stop, I break. Now, if my car decides there's a problem, my options are all or nothing? I can't just slow down a little bit? No, thank you.

[southpawboston]

Originally Posted by UlrikeDG

That sounds like a disaster. I take my foot off the gas to SLOW DOWN. If I want to stop, I break. Now, if my car decides there's a problem, my options are all or nothing? I can't just slow down a little bit? No, thank you.

i don't think it's as simple as that, and i disagree, i don't think there is potential for disaster in this technology. i'm sure that sufficient testing would be done to ensure the technology is foolproof before it is introduced into the market. and at any rate, get used to it, because these kinds of technologies are already in place without you knowing it, and more of these type of passive safety technology on the way.

for example, i don't know what you drive, but there's a chance you have something called EBA (emergency brake assist). it is on virtually all new cars. it is a system which, through several sensors and computer integration, distinguishes between aggressive braking and "true" panick braking. if it determines that you are panick braking, it signals the ABS controller to apply full braking force to all four wheels, regardless of how much force you are applying to the brake pedal. research showed that in true panick stop situations, many people don't apply enough force on the brake pedal to bring the car to the shortest possible stop. this system automatically brings the car to a stop in the shortest possible distance regardless of driver contribution, so long as the computer properly distinguishes a "panick" braking situation from an aggressive braking situation, then there are no false "sudden stops". you don't see cars just randomly stopping short without driver input, do you?

the nissan system seems to be a variation of EBA. presumably, there would be enough intelligence built into the system described by nissan to prevent any false stops, facilitated by computer integration and many different sensors which predict the intent of the driver (as well as sonar technology which is already in widespread use in cars).

nissan has been pioneering a lot of these new innovative safety technologies through their ownership by renault. the french cars are full of these technologies that utilize photo sensors, sonar, etc to warn drivers of potential hazards. citroen has a technology that causes the driver's seat to vibrate when the vehicle drifts out of its lane (presumably due to driver falling asleep). it even vibrates on the left or right side of the seat to indicate which direction the car is drifting.