Horizon - car technology and crashing

[downfader]

Anyone see it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ylxg8/Horizon_20102011_Surviving_a_Car_Crash/

The only downside I feel is that making it safer for drivers will just make it worse for those outside the car....

 

[mickle]

Very interesting but disappointing that the automotive safety community still hold the mindset that seeks a technological solution to road safety. Do we need systems which intervene to compensate for driver's inattention or do we need drivers to be attentive. Do we need more realistic crash test dummies or do we simply need lower speed limits. Or better driver ed. Or harsher penalties for dangerous driving..

Haven't they heard of risk compensation??

And I felt throughout the documentary that by the time these technologies become cheap enough to appear on the options list of your average Ford Focus there'll be no fricking oil left anyway! Rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

 

[Panter]

It was fascinating, but slightly depressing at the same time. Car culture at its peak!

I'd love to see the accident stats if all cars were fitted with a spike in the steering wheel and a bootful of TNT rather than a system that summons the emergency services for you with a list of potential injuries calculated by the Black box in the event of a collision. (and if you didn't see the programme, this system is up and running now in parts of N America!)

 

[beanzontoast]

Oooh - glad I recorded this. It sounds good.

Aside: last week the pvr (set to record the series) recorded the Hoizon programme about pain and I was going to delete it thinking it would be really depressing, but got drawn into watching and it turned out to be fascinating - and in some ways uplifting.

 

[ColinJ]

It certainly put me off playing American Football!

Very interesting but disappointing that the automotive safety community still hold the mindset that seeks a technological solution to road safety ...

That was my reaction too.

 

[Over The Hill]

I was going to record it as I run and hid in the study when Glee is on. Forgot to so will catch up on i player thing.

 

[subaqua]

Anyone see it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk...ng_a_Car_Crash/

The only downside I feel is that making it safer for drivers will just make it worse for those outside the car....

yes , and my thoughts were exactly the same as you.

that super tech windscreen scares the life out of me. Yopu can hear it now SMIDSY in the windscreen.

 

[661-Pete]

Can't download the programme just now, but I presume it's all about in-vehicle safety i.e. protecting the driver and passengers after the crash...

Take away seatbelts, take away airbags, bring on the steering column spike, I say (as suggested by Mayer Hillman).

 

[snailracer]

I'm actually quite optimistic about car safety tech. To a radar, a bicycle can look as large as a car, if you have the right radar-reflectors fitted.

 

[downfader]

Can't download the programme just now, but I presume it's all about in-vehicle safety i.e. protecting the driver and passengers after the crash...

Take away seatbelts, take away airbags, bring on the steering column spike, I say (as suggested by Mayer Hillman).

It is indeed about mitigating the effects of collision, to some extents I think they hinted at avoidance measures but not much.

 

[mickle]

I'm actually quite optimistic about car safety tech. To a radar, a bicycle can look as large as a car, if you have the right radar-reflectors fitted.

LOL what like big car shaped reflectors?

 

[Dan B]

Haven't seen the programme, but do they have tech that slows you down and puts your hazard warning lights on if you're tailgating? That would be a win. Also I'd like a system that warns you you've just left-hooked someone by activating the car alarm (after all, nobody driving their own car would surely make such a manoeuvre, so it must be stolen)

 

[Mad at urage]

I'm actually quite optimistic about car safety tech. To a radar, a bicycle can look as large as a car, if you have the right radar-reflectors fitted.

So, contributory negligence is now "It was the cyclist's fault, he didn't have the latest amplifying radar reflectors fitted" ... "Oh, in that case fine the cyclist for damaging the car" .

The 'right reflectors' can make a 30ft yacht look like a super-tanker, but they'd be bl@@dy expensive!

 

[downfader]

So, contributory negligence is now "It was the cyclist's fault, he didn't have the latest amplifying radar reflectors fitted" ... "Oh, in that case fine the cyclist for damaging the car" .

The 'right reflectors' can make a 30ft yacht look like a super-tanker, but they'd be bl@@dy expensive!

I dont think that was the point being made...

 

[snailracer]

So, contributory negligence is now "It was the cyclist's fault, he didn't have the latest amplifying radar reflectors fitted" ... "Oh, in that case fine the cyclist for damaging the car" .

The 'right reflectors' can make a 30ft yacht look like a super-tanker, but they'd be bl@@dy expensive!

The radar reflectors I'm familiar with are just dumb sheetmetal "corners" that work on the retroreflector principle. For car radar, they'd be tiny, probably the same size as optical bike reflectors.

The supertanker comparison is apt: a 1-foot wide radar reflector on a supertanker is much more visible to a radar, than the supertanker is to your own eyes. Especially at night, or in the rain/fog.