Tag Archives: pedestrian

Volvo Updates City Safety for Bicyclists, Pedestrians

Auto safety has improved leaps and bounds in the past few years, not only for drivers and passengers but for pedestrians as well. Volvo has been a leader in this regard, presenting pedestrian air bags at the Geneva Motor Show last year, and this week, they unveiled another stunner. New Volvos will be able to sense pedestrians and bicyclists on the road and help drivers avoid a collision.

The new technology is an update to Volvo’s three-year-old City Safety system which reduces distracted driving accidents and accidents caused by human error. City Safety alerts the driver if the car is on course for a collision and applies the brakes if the driver does not respond to the warning. The original system could detect and monitor other vehicles, but the update expands its detection system to include bicyclists and pedestrians. This system does not give drivers the ability to drive without watching the road but rather serves as a safeguard in high-stress driving scenarios.

Doug Speck, Volvo’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service, was optimistic about the new system and what it means for the future of Volvo, stating, “By covering more and more objects and situations, we reinforce our world-leading position within automotive safety. We keep moving towards our long-term vision to design cars that do not crash.”

The new system will be available May 2013 in the V40, S60, V60, XC60, V70, XC70, and S80, and pricing has not yet been announced. Volvo owners can also expect additional updates in the next few years that cover large animals such as deer or small animals like dogs or cats.

Are you ready to get into a new or used car today? Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get a car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto new and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

NHTSA: Hybrids, Electric Cars Need to be Noisier

Since they hit the market, electric cars and hybrids have had trouble really finding their audience. Everyone loves to pay less on gas, but questions of safety and whether it is really better for the environment have plagued its journey into mainstream America. A new, less obvious problem has recent come to light as more drivers are choosing hybrid and electric cars.

Federal safety regulators are concerned that hybrid and electric cars are simply too quiet. Most cars make enough noise to alert pedestrians, cyclists, or visually impaired persons, but these hybrids and electric cars are so quiet that pedestrians are sometimes unaware of their presence.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, is asking automakers to add sound systems to their hybrid and electric vehicles. The sound system, which will emit warning sounds to pedestrians, is expected to cost an additional $30 to automakers but will have a minimal effect on the vehicle’s fuel efficiency. According to David Strickland, the NHTSA’s Administrator, automakers would be able to choose a variety of sounds depending on the make and model.

Are you looking to get into a new or used vehicle? Approved Loan Store can help! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we can get you into the car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get more auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image courtesy of James Barker / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Crosswalk Pong Encourages Pedestrians Not to Jaywalk

Last month, an ad agency got bar patron’s attention with a “drunk mirror” which warned against the dangers of drunk driving in a very clever way. Earlier this month, the NHTSA introduced the idea of a “designated texter” to encourage drivers not to text or talk on the phone while driving. Continuing the trend of cleverly disguised public safety measures, a couple of German students came up with a great idea for preventing jaywalking.

Sandro Engel and Holger Michel wanted to get people engaged at the most unlikely of places, the crosswalk. They created a short video “StreetPong” demonstrating two people standing on opposite sides of a crosswalk and playing against each other in a pong-like video game. The idea is that while people are waiting for the light to change, they will be less likely to jaywalk if they can play pong against a real-life player across the street. Engel and Michel even added a fun detail to the game. The pong screen backdrop is actually a picture of a city street, so it is like the players are having an actual game of ping-pong across the street.

The game hasn’t actually been installed at the crosswalk since the video is only meant to be a demonstration of how this pong game could work. Engel and Michel created the effect in the video using a small green screen on the crosswalk pole. A lot of people already wish it was real, though. The video has been watched 614,000 times, received 737 likes on Vimeo, and was featured on Autoblog. They have clearly come up with an idea that people are latching onto, and I do wonder if we will start seeing less jaywalking and more pedestrians gaming at the crosswalk.

Are you looking to get into a new or used vehicle? Good credit, bad credit, no credit, Approved Loan Store wants to help you! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!