The Future of Car Safety Features

Thousands of people die every year in car crashes, with countless more injured. In an effort to combat the dangers of mobile transport, there have been numerous safety laws put into place since the invention of the car. As technology advances, so do safety features.

However, not all safety feature advancements have been helpful, such as automated vehicles crashing or anti-lock brakes malfunctioning. With any technology, there are still plenty of kinks to work out to improve vehicle safety for both preventing crashes and protecting passengers in a crash.

In this feature, we are going to take a look at the history of vehicle safety and the future safety features that are being worked on now. We will also cover expert advice and tips on vehicle safety.

History of Safety Features

From the first seatbelt mandate to auto-locking brakes, safety has continuously evolved over the decades. As cars picked up speed and became more common on the roads, the need for better safety features and safety laws was quickly realized. 

Early Years

The early years of car safety were marked by some important milestones: seatbelt mandates, shatterproof glass, steel frames, and more. Take a look at the graphic below to see the most important changes in the first few decades after the invention of the car.

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The first seatbelt patent was in 1885 when cars were first introduced, although it wasn’t yet put into vehicles. Other basic features, such as windshield wipers and rearview mirrors, weren’t introduced until decades later. The first crash test wasn’t even conducted until 1934, almost 50 years after the car was invented.

These first safety improvements were slow to take off but were vital changes that needed to be made for drivers’ safety.

50s to 60s

From 1950 to 1969, a number of more advanced changes were made to vehicle safety requirements and policies. Congress created the Department of Transportation and multiple requirements were put in place for car manufacturers. Take a look at the graphic below for the full list of major safety achievements.

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Even though a patent for seatbelts was introduced in 1885, seatbelts weren’t offered with cars until 1950. A year later, airbags were introduced.

70s to 80s

The 70s saw the introduction of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which helped advance better safety testing. The graphic below lists the main safety advancements in the 70s to 80s.

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The year 1985 brought about the first crash test dummies, allowing testers to better see the impact crashes would actually have on the human body and therefore develop better safety standards.

90s

The 90s marked a significant increase in vehicle safety programs, from car seat programs to zero tolerance law for drivers under 21.

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New safety technology was also introduced, such as side air bags.

2000s

The 2000s saw multiple advances in technology geared towards vehicle safety. Camera systems were introduced, new brake systems, and more.

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Many of the new safety features have become standard in even the cheapest of vehicles produced these days. ADD MORE>

Future of safety

What does the future of vehicle safety look like? There are a number of safety features in the works. Take a look at the graphic below to see what cars may soon look like in the future.

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Summary of graphic, interesting fact, etc.

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Expert Tips

Introduction

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Methodology

Our team of researchers used a number of different sources to research different milestones in car safety history. They are as follows:

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• National Museum of American History
• The Automobile Association

Our researchers cross-referenced timelines to determine what the most important safety improvements were in history. They also researched current safety features currently in development to predict what the future of car safety may look like for drivers.

Regardless of what safety features your vehicle has, cautious and defensive driving can go a long way to preventing an accident. ADD MORE

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