A U T GO M OT 25 - Friday, July 13, 1990 - North Shore News VES New technology makes cars safer RECENT DEVELOP- MENTS in. safety techno- logy have improved passen- ger protection and made cars easier to drive safely. Probably tre rwcorit impor- tant developments ai scent years have been air days st anti-lock brakes. In @ head-or | Jhsion, an air bag will intlate wirin millise- conds to cushion ch. Jnver from life-threatening injuries Anti-lock orakes sometimes called anti-stick brake) prevent the wheels tron: icckine up under panic braking situasons. This gives the drvcr greater braking and steering control. sarticularly on loase of slippery suriaces. Au : Motion Greg Wilson Other safety features that have appeared in the last few years in- chide three-point shoulder belts for the rear passengers, high- mounted stop lights and daytime running lights, child locks on the rear doors, and child seat tether anchors. At the moment, anti-lock brak- ing systems are installed on only a small number of cars (most luxury and performance cars). The high cost of these systems, approxi- mately $1,500 per car, is expected to come down dramatically in the next few years. Within five years, it is expected that most new cars will have ABS. Likewise, air bags are expected to be installed on most cars in the United States in the next few years. Canada may be a bit slower to follow since we have no man- datory regulations requiring air bags. Since air bags do not inflate in side or rear impacts, a number of car companies are now experimen- ting with airbags in the doors combined with additional side im- pact protection. Injuries caused by side collisions come second only to injuries caused in head-on collisions. Cars and light trucks offer considerably less side protection in the form of energy-absorbing crumple zones. The majority of side collision in- juries occur when the door is pressed inwards and hits the pas- senger. Most injuries are chest in- juries. Volvo, a car stressed safety long before it became popular, is currenily designing advanced side impact protection. A stronger safety cage is being developed that will better absorb the impact of a side colli- sion. Side airbags, which inflate within milliseconds of a crash, are also being developed. in addition to providing a protective cushion, they take up less space in the pas- senger compartment. Volvo is also developing an ‘ac- tive safety’ concept which involves computerized suspension, four- wheel steering and = special tires. While some car manufacturers of- fer these features individually, Volvo is the first company to combine them into one system. The interplay of these three aspects gives the driver greater company tuat AIR BAGS are becoming increasingly standard in many new car models. control of the vehicle, especially in inclement conditions. Volvo and Michelin jointly de- veloped a special narrower tire with an open and deep tread pat- tern. The new tire provides much better grip on wet or snow- covered surfaces while stil! main- taining good dry-weather capabili- ty. The disadvantages of narrower tires is that a car often feels less stable; however, Volvo claims to have compietely eliminated this probiem by combining the tires with four-wheel steering and a computerized suspension. Volvo’s four-wheel steering system is controlled by a micro- PETER GRIFFITHS processor which receives signals from the speedometer and from a sensor which measures the angle of the car. The micro-processor calculates and regulates the steer- ing angles of the rear wheels. When the driver turns the steer- ing wheel in the approach to a See Cars AUTOMOTIVE x0 SPECIALS 1239 Weich St., North Van. ps: WAYNE MILLER WHY PAY MORE? WHY PAY DEALER RATES? Bring your VOLVO to the mechanics VOLVO trained “Volvo’s are our Specialty” TMastertech Tlutomotive Ltd. 217B (Rear) West Ist Street (Between Ming Court & Sailor Hagar's) North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 1B3 988-1404 | North Shore’s Most Qualified Volvo Team —e MULTI-=r~_ VIS i) a SAE 1ow-30 MOTOR OIL? WORLD CLASS PRoTeCrion. famed os exoe 6 ame one 4 Lae we ome WAH OL1 YS Or, nsutAr m MOST CARS & LIGHT TRUCKS we UP TO 5 LITRE OIL EXPIRES JULY 31/90 FEATURING COURTESY RIDES {TO SEABUS & POINTS ON N. SHORE §