Changing lanes isn’t exactly tricky.
Unfortunately, inexperienced or just plain bad drivers can turn a small thing into a multi-thousand dollar accident, slowing traffic and endangering others on the road at the same time.
Nissan recently implemented a new “Side Collision Prevention” (SCP) system. Radars are mounted on sides of the rear bumper. Should the driver try to turn when the radars detect a car in the next lane, a beeping sound will alert the driver to his carelessness. The automaker is also developing an Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system that will give braking force to each wheel.
Nissan expects to have the SCP ready by 2010 or 2011.
BMW may commercialize a similar lane alerting system in its new 7-Series.
Our take? More technology to cover human error. But what happens when technology fails? You can be sure there will be some drivers who throw all sense of caution to the wind if they have this in place.