Car Safety Features Are Becoming More Sophisticated, Skill Still Comes First

KatadataOTO – Currently, new cars on the market are equipped with various modern features. Especially when it comes to the safety of the product.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), has become a common feature found in new four-wheeled vehicles.

ADAS in four-wheeled vehicles consists of a number of features. Take Blind Spot Warning (BSW) for example.

This safety feature is able to detect vehicles or objects in the blind spot. Thus, it can assist you when maneuvering.

Then there is also Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). It functions to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

Photo : 123RF

Then, ADAS is also equipped with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), which serves to remind the driver when the car veers out of its lane.

The last commonly found car safety feature is Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)

This particular one can provide a warning and automatically apply the brakes if it detects a potential collision with a vehicle, object, or pedestrian in front.

However, drivers cannot fully rely on car safety features.

"No matter how sophisticated the safety features and technology are, manual contribution and cognitive ability are more vital," said Jusri Pulubuhu, Founder of Jakarta Defensive Driving Consulting (JDDC), when met by KatadataOTO some time ago.

Jusri explained that human cognitive abilities, including analysis, reaction, interpretation, and execution, are far more important.

This is because if you rely on car safety features, there is a possibility that the system could error.

So it may not work as intended. The worst potential outcome is an accident.

"The question is, can we trust it 100 percent? Of course not. (Safety features) are just for notification or giving a warning, so when there are signs, we must immediately take over," Jusri continued.

Therefore, car owners cannot fully rely on safety features. Driving skills or abilities remain more important.

That way, the potential for accidents on the road can be minimized. Not harming yourself or others.

Photo : Drive

"So where do we place it (the safety feature)? As a notification or a reminder warning. Don't trust it 100 percent," Jusri emphasized.

In addition, to improve safety, the public must also prioritize attitude on the road.

Not to forget, good driving knowledge and obeying the applicable regulations. So you can be safer when driving on the highway.