‘Smart’ cars have arrived

THERE ARE a number
of options to improve your
ability to see clearly while
you're driving.

By Paul A. Eisenstein
Contributing Writer

If you’ve ever given up trying
to scrape a glaze of ice off your
windshield, consider the ‘‘instant
clear” systems offered by Ford
and General Motors. Sandwiched
in the glass is a fine, electrically
heated, metallic layer that can
melt off a one-eighth inch of ice
in three minutes.

Once rare, rear defrosters are
now standard features on all but
the cheapest economy cars —
where it’s still available as an op-
tion.

You might also consider a
tear-windshield wiper. These op-
tions help avoid driveway and
parking-lot accidents.

Inclement weather isn’t the only
thing hampering visibility.

“The rate of accidents at night
is about triple that of the day,”
explains Paul Green, Ph.D.,
associate research scientist at the
University of Michigan’s Trans-
portation Research Institute.
“That’s not only because people
get tired but also because they
can’t see.’”

Green says you can improve
your odds with high-powered
halogen headlamps.

Some experts also suggest ad-
ding fog lamps, designed to do a
better job of cutting through mist.
__ While cars are safer than ever,
few automobile manufacturers are
content to rest on their laurels.
With the help of technology, the
next generation of cars will pro-
vide safety features that are
nothing short of amazing.

Pontiac’s Protosport 4 concept
car replaces the rear-view mirror
with a small video monitor. It
shows you the view from a
rear-mounted, all-weather .camera
— and it isn’t obstructed by a
back-seat passenger's head.

Ford is developing an infrared

‘Trooper competes
From page 37

forward to increase usable cargo
area, and there are no less than
seven grab handles to reach for if
the road (or driver) becomes
unbearable.

Standard equipment on the S
mode! includes power windows,
AM/FM _sstereo/cassette player,
aluminum wheels, and four-wheel
disc brakes. The LS model offers
air conditioning, anti-theft alarm,
adjustable -captain’s seats with
armrests, fog lamps and a power
antenna. :

Despite the Trooper’s many
improvements, its four-wheel-
drive system remains traditional.
A part-time system (for use on
slippery surfaces only) with
automatic locking front hubs, the
Trooper’s two-speed transfer case
cannot be shifted into  four-
wheel-drive until the vehicle has
come to a complete stop.
Disengaging the automatic hubs
tequires backing up a metre or so.

This contrasts with modern
*‘shift-on-the-fly’? systems and
‘‘all-the-time’’ four-wheel-drive
systems available on other vehicles
in this class.

Still, the Trooper is a worthy
competitor to the Ford Explorer,
Jeep Grand Cherokee and
Chevrolet Blazer.

Previously sold at Passport
dealerships, the new Trooper is
now available at Saturn, Saab,
Isuzu Truck dealerships, a Cana-
dian dealer network set up by
General Motors.

vision system that can sce through
even the thickest fog. An enkane-
ed view of the road, marking
lanes and picturing cars and other
obstacles, is displayed on the
windshield much like head-up
displays (HUD) used in advanced
fighter jets.

Less sophisticated HUD systems
are already available on several
production passenger cars. The
optional HUD on the Pontiac
Grand Prix projects a_ digital
readout of your speed on the bot-
tom of the windshield.

Nissan offers a HUD on the
sporty 2409SX that not only reads
out your speed, but also shows
whether your turn signals ave on
and warns when you're low on
gas.

One company will soon begin

marketing a radar warning system
designed to give motorists a mo-
ment’s extra warning in case of a
possible collision. Several car-
makers hope to take that design 2
step further, connecting the radar
directly to the car's brakes.

On-board navigation systems,
like Germany's experimental
Euro-Scout, will soon guide
drivers acound traffic accidents
and bad weather.

Ultimately, scientists in the
United States, Japan and Europe
hope to develop so-called ‘smart
cars,’’ capable of driving
themselves. Pull onto the freeway,
lock onto the beam and you'll be
able to read the paper or even
catch a few more minutes of sleep
on the way to the office.

And that’s only the beginning!

Friday, September 25, 1992 - North Shore News - 43

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