All Ford SUVs, with first applications beginning in the 2002 model year, offer an advanced tire pressure monitoring system, and will feature as standard equipment antilock brakes with Electronic Brake Distribution for significantly reduced stopping distances and lowered front bumper beams for better car-to-SUV crash compatibility. The SUVs will also offer advanced occupant protection technology in the form of Ford’s patented Personal Safety System and Safety Canopy rollover protection system as well as AdvanceTracTM electronic stability programming. Each of these advanced safety technologies have been available on Ford Escape, Explorer, Explorer Sport and SportTrac, Expedition and Excursion since 2005.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System
This sensor-based low pressure warning system will alert drivers if a tire becomes under-inflated. It will also warn the driver if the tire is significantly over-inflated. The technology features an active pressure sensor mounted inside each tire with a transmitter that communicates with a receiving module in the vehicle. A lithium battery powers the sensor and transmitter. The receiving module contains the logic to determine if the pressure level transmitted if low, and if so it activates a warning message or light and an audible tone.
This tire pressure monitoring technology differs from tire warning systems that operate with a vehicle’s ABS system to detect variances in wheel spin rates (indicating that one of the tires is under inflated). The advanced sensor technology was chosen for Ford SUVs and trucks because of its ability to operate in four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive applications and the demanding off-road environment.

ABS With Electronic Brake Force Distribution
Stopping distance is a key measure of a braking system’s efficiency. Because SUVs generally are heavier than passenger cars, they generally have greater stopping distances. Ford will apply new technology and improved brake system designs to significantly shorten the stopping distances of all Ford SUVs.
The first application of this technology is on the new Explorer. A four-wheel, three-channel antilock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) is standard on 2002 Explorer. The ABS controls the front wheels independently and the rear wheels in tandem during heavy braking - to improve vehicle control. ABS with EBD employs dynamic proportioning to achieve shorter stopping distances. It works by measuring braking force versus traction and allocating brake force to the wheels that have the best grip for stopping even before the ABS system kicks in this helps reduce braking distance. For example, 2002 Explorer’s stopping distance from 60 mph is a class-leading 131 feet, a 20 percent improvement from the 164 feet stopping distance for the previous model Explorer.

Personal Safety System

Ford’s patented Personal Safety System combines dual-stage front air bags that deploy based on crash severity, sensors that detect if front-seat occupants are wearing safety belts, driver’s seat position sensors, safety belt pretensioners and load-limiting retractors. The fully integrated, computer-driven Personal Safety System - which debutted on the 2000 Taurus - includes nearly a dozen technologically advanced components. The system, in short, “thinks” about and responds to different accident conditions by deploying the vehicle’s occupant protection systems to match those conditions.

Safety Canopy
Ford’s new side impact curtain air bag system, available on the 2002 Explorer at launch, is one of the most advanced side-impact protection systems available on any SUV in the world. But that’s only the beginning. The side curtain air bags will be combined with additional rollover sensor technology. This patented Safety Canopy system will provide additional protection in rollover accidents. Although rollovers represent only a small percentage of SUV accidents, they can have fatal consequences, particularly when a passenger is ejected from the vehicle. About half of all SUV fatalities involve a rollover. During these types of accidents, occupants thrown from the vehicle are up to 10 times as likely to be killed or seriously hurt than occupants who remain inside. Safety belts are the single best tool for keeping passengers inside during a rollover, but the new air bags and rollover-sensing technology will supply an additional line of defense.
The electronic rollover sensors measure how fast the vehicle’s lean angle is changing to determine whether the vehicle is headed for a rollover. If a rollover situation is detected by the system, it deploys the side curtain air bags to help protect passengers and help keep them inside until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. The air bags remain inflated up to six seconds - far longer than conventional air bags - to provide additional occupant protection. The location of the air bags and physics of the deployment decreases the risk of injury to out-of-position passengers.

AdvanceTracTM Electronic Stability Technology
AdvanceTracTM - a computer-driven interactive vehicle dynamics system. This advanced technology will enhance stability in extreme driving situations when drivers may have misjudged speed or road conditions.
Developed in conjunction with Ford’s involvement in Formula One racing, the optional AdvanceTracTM system monitors driver inputs, such as steering, throttle and brakes, and the corresponding vehicle responses - yaw, lateral acceleration and wheel speed - to control brake force distribution and vehicle stability. When required, AdvanceTracTTM applies the brakes at one or more wheels to correct excessive yaw. (Yaw is rotation about the vehicle’s vertical axis. A vehicle spinning out in a turn is an example of excessive yaw motion.) If the vehicle’s yaw rate is excessive, brake force on the outside front wheel helps keep the vehicle on the desired path. If the yaw rate is lower than that intended by the driver, brake force is applied to the inside rear wheel.

Boasting new safety technology, more refined styling and an improved suspension, the B9 Tribeca is the first-ever Subaru SUV with available seating for seven passengers. The B9 Tribeca features a 245-hp 6-cylinder Boxer engine and a Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system as its core technology. Subaru is America’s All-Wheel Drive leader, with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive standard on every vehicle in its model line.

The Subaru B9 Tribeca earned the highest rating in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) crash tests (2006 model tested) with 5-stars in both the frontal and side-impact crash tests for both the driver and passenger seating positions. These results are in addition to the 4-star rating in the NHTSA tests for rollover resistance. (No SUV to date has earned 5-stars in the rollover test.)

For 2007, Subaru has further bolstered B9 Tribeca safety technology, equipping all models with a new Rollover Sensor system that detects a potential vehicle rollover and deploys the standard side curtain airbags. The system also sets the seatbelt pre-tensioners in anticipation of an event. In addition, the new Brake Assist joins the extensive roster of dynamic handling technology, which already includes four-channel ABS brakes, Vehicle Dynamics Control and four-wheel traction control. Brake Assist analyzes the force and stroke velocity on the brake pedal and increases hydraulic boost to provide enhanced emergency braking.

Like all Subaru models, B9 Tribeca delivers a high level of “active safety” owing to the all-weather traction of its standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and the low center of gravity afforded by the Subaru boxer engine design.

Ford is researching and applying active safety measures in production vehicles and concepts designed with the intention to prevent some accidents from occurring. One of these technologies, Ford’s exclusive Roll Stability Control™, is already on more than one-half million Ford Motor Company SUVs since 2005. Unlike any other system in the world, Ford’s patented Roll Stability Control features roll-rate sensing and stability enhancing capability - offering assistance to the driver in maintaining vehicle control during extreme maneuvers. Ford also announced that the 2006 15-passenger E-Series wagon will feature the technology.

Lane Departure Warning, and Collision Mitigation by Braking are the latest safety technologies.

Ford’s Lane Departure Warning System is a technology in development that could help prevent a driver from unintentionally leaving his lane.

Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Ford’s Lane Departure Warning is a mechanized vision system designed to recognize lane markings and a vehicle’s lateral position to those markings. It can provide a visual, audible and/or haptic (vibrating) warning to the driver if the vehicle departs from a distinguishable travel lane without activation of the appropriate turn signal. In the concept car, a right lane departure triggers a vibration to the right side of the seat; a left lane departure spurs vibration of the left side of the seat.

In Lane Departure Warning, vehicle position is evaluated by a camera system mounted behind the windshield that measures the lateral distance from the camera’s center line to the left and right lane markings. The system works during the day or at night while headlights are in use. Naturally, the system does not warn the driver if the turn signals are used before changing lanes. The system is still under development for conditions without clear lane markings and overall system reliability.

Ford’s Collision Mitigation by Braking system is a technology in development that could help reduce speed in a frontal collision.

Collision Mitigation by Braking (CMbB)
Ford Motor Company’s Research and Advanced Engineering group, in cooperation with researchers at the Volvo Safety Center, developed Mercury Meta One’s Collision Mitigation by Braking or CMbB system to demonstrate how crash severity can be reduced. The system uses sensors that gauge an impending frontal collision and amplify the driver’s braking and then automatically apply additional brake pressure to further reduce the vehicle’s speed at impact.

Depending on relative speed and other factors, every mile per hour that a vehicle is slowed before impact reduces the energy of a crash.

CMbB applies automatic braking when it determines with certainty that a collision with another vehicle is unavoidable in both high and low speed situations. Importantly, the function assumes the driver has ultimate authority, and it will not interfere with any potential evasive maneuver initiated by the driver.

Ford’s CMbB pre-crash sensors consist of a camera and radar to sense vehicles on the road ahead and an electronic control unit (ECU), which determines whether a collision is imminent based on the position, speed and direction of other vehicles. Using estimates of collision threat and driver intent, the CMbB system provides driver warning and enhanced brake control when needed. Depending on speed and road factors, the braking can automatically reduce vehicle speed by five miles per hour or more before an impact. The radar and camera systems are under development so that the system works reliably in heavy rain, fog and other adverse driving conditions.

A comprehensive array of dynamic handling and braking technologies, the Star Safety System includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and traction control (TRAC), an anti-lock brake system (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA). The Star Safety System helps the driver maintain control of the vehicle in adverse driving conditions. VSC has been standard on all Toyota SUV’s since the 2004 model year.

Four-channel, four-sensor ABS helps to prevent the wheels from locking during severe braking conditions, while EBD distributes proper brake force between the front and rear wheels according to driving conditions and load. The Brake Assist feature is designed to determine if the driver is attempting emergency braking and, if the driver has not stepped firmly enough on the brake pedal to engage the ABS, the system supplements the applied braking power until pedal pressure is released.

The VSC system helps maintain directional stability during cornering by manipulating engine torque and individual wheel-braking influence when it detects tire slippage. The TRAC feature helps reduce tire slippage during acceleration. Toyota’s 4Runner 4WD models use an additional yaw sensor, a deceleration sensor, and control algorithms to deliver smoother torque on any surface, including low-range and locked center differential conditions.

GM has announced in 2005 that all of GM’s cars and trucks sold at retail would have StabiliTrak standard by the end of 2010. However, StabiliTrak is now standard in many GM vehicles. StabiliTrak is General Motors’ trademark name for their Electronic Stability Control system first introduced in 1997 Cadillac models. This helps in low-traction conditions like ice, snow, gravel, wet pavement, and uneven road surfaces. Electronic stability control systems like StabiliTrak, are proven to help reduce single-vehicle crashes.

Using sensors, StabiliTrak detects the difference between the steering wheel angle and the direction you’re actually turning. It also applies quick, precise force to the appropriate brakes to help the driver control the vehicle’s direction to help keep it on course.

Today, the 2007 Cadillac STS includes standard safety features such as the StabiliTrak system and brakes with brake assist technology. One of the things that could follow StabiliTrak relatively quickly is a technology known as panic brake assist. Everything is in place with the StabiliTrak systems to enable the activation of panic brake assist. GM rolls that out on all StabiliTrak-equipped vehicles in coming years. There are other safety technologies that ESC systems can enable, but when it comes to protection in a crash or near crash, the most effective technology remains the safety belt.

Linearity and rigidity – these are the two most important factors that Mazda considers in developing the Mazda braking systems. With linearity, the brakes respond in direct proportion to the amount of pressure the driver applies to the brake pedals. Rigidity ensures that any pressure applied to the brakes makes its way to the wheels. The result: solid, responsive braking and increased brake power.

The featured braking technology that Mazda is now using is the Four-Wheel, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Standard Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD). This technology starts with the renowned MAZDA6.

Through the use of advanced computer software and driver evaluation clinics, engineers were able to design a brake system that delivered confident stopping under various situations and conditions. Conventional brake computer software only looks at pedal efforts required to slow a car from a certain speed. Mazda engineers went so far as to actually measure the brake time actions of typical drivers in an assortment of situations and speeds.

This information was then analyzed and used to develop algorithms for Mazda’s four-wheel, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with standard electronic brake force distribution (EBD) system, which controls the front wheels independently and the rear wheels in tandem during heavy braking to help improve vehicle control. The ABS with EBD employs dynamic proportioning to achieve shorter stopping distances.

EBD works by measuring braking force versus traction and allocating brake force to wheels that have the best grip for stopping even before the ABS system activates. This advanced system helps reduce the braking distance by using the right level of brake modulation for robust stopping and occupant comfort.

Another braking technology used by Mazda is the Standard 4-Wheel Disc Brakes. Disc brakes have such a clear advantage over drum brakes that all modern automobile use discs on their front brakes. Disc brakes in the rear however; can still often be reserved for Performance models, or performance versions of mainstream models.

4-wheel disc brakes are found on all MAZDA3, MAZDA6, MPV, Miata, RX-8 and Tribute i models. The front discs are always ventilated, and in the RX-8, the rear discs are ventilated as well.

Large style wheels are quite the rage right now, but Mazda recalls that one of the functional reasons for larger wheels is to allow room for larger brake discs. For instance, on the MAZDA3, the base i models have 10.9” ventilated discs up front and 10.4” solid discs in the rear. But on s models with 17” wheels the brake discs increase to 11.8” and 11.0” respectively. The advantage of larger brake discs is simple to comprehend. The greater the radius at which brake pads apply pressure, the greater the braking ability. It is a simple matter of relative leverage.

The Brake Assist Function is also used by Mazda. All ABS models are also equipped with a brake assist function. This system aids braking operation during emergency braking or other times when a high amount of brake power is called upon. Research has shown that many drivers, during emergency braking, may apply brakes quickly but without sufficient force. Or they may apply sufficient force but do not maintain it long enough. In these cases, without brake assist the vehicle is not braking to the full extent of its abilities. The brake assist function reads brake pedal depression speed and force, to determine if emergency braking is occurring. If so, the power brake unit applies maximum force and maintains it until pressure on the pedal is decidedly released. This system, combined with ABS helps ensure that the vehicle reaches its maximum braking ability whenever required. MAZDA3

The anti-lock braking system (ABS) is designed to prevent the wheels from locking up during braking. Even under emergency braking conditions, the car remains in control, which means the driver can avoid an obstacle without having to release the brakes first.

The system incorporates wheel sensors to monitor the speed of all wheels on the vehicle. Should a wheel threaten to lock, a solenoid valve reduces brake force until the wheels runs freely and brake force up to the lock-limit can be reapplied. The vehicle remains stable and in control.

Volkswagen’s ABS system is further enhanced with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD). EBD ensures maximum braking performance and under normal conditions it prevents the rear-end from sliding out due to over-braking. It also eliminates ‘brake fading’,which often results from overheating.

The Hydraulic Braking Assistant (HBA) comes into play in emergency stops or panicky braking manoeuvres when drivers brake rapidly, but ineffectively. The HBA sensors recognise the attempt at full braking and transmit a signal calling for full brake pressure from the new, two-stage hydraulic booster. The result is a slow, strong application of the full brake force from a short pedal travel movement and a significantly reduced braking distance.

Rains of late are certain to render the roads slick and wet once again. And a number of drivers, along with car owners, are starting to get antsy over certain things that have to do with their cars, in one way or another. These concerns as well as issues not only have to do with the engines, the accessories, the tires of the car but with a great deal more. It’s enough to make one’s head swim.

Still, fretting over a car simply because the rainy season has started is very much welcome since the downpours bring trouble for one’s car. More so than usual, particularly for the brake system.

For one, we all know automotive brakes are responsible for stopping a vehicle through friction. Friction, then, is the crucial element in the mix.

This brand of friction comes in different forms. There’s the friction within as well as outside the automotive system. The friction within is generated by the brake shoes—or in some cases, brake pads—pressing against the brake drums or rotors that are located on the rotating wheel.

And then, there’s the friction generated by the contact of the tires against the road. A wheel set, no matter how well made, is going to have a difficult time navigating slick and wet roads because there is less friction on hand—less traction produced.

Even the contact of brake pads against brake rotors are affected by rain. Because if some portion of the engine were sprayed with water, in one form or another, the water—when it begins to dry out—will inevitably leave the area quite moist. This has the potential of attracting particles, grime and other unnecessary materials into the system. While some may take the grime and dust for granted, some materials may prove effectively damaging as to merit one’s attention right away. Some debris that prove hard may abrade sensitive, even critical parts and ultimately bring the car to its knees.

One has to remember that in one’s car parts, especially if one has the brake system in mind, care must be taken to ensure that all the parts are working as they should. If water gets to a number of locations inside the assembly, extensive damage can be the result. Thus, to prevent against such mishaps, one has to be keen on a range of brake system matters.

For cars that employ the hydraulic system, one must be aware, at the very least, of the fact that the entire assembly is full of liquid at any and all times. If air or vapor of any sort succeeds in entering the system, its ability to generate pressure will be greatly reduced. This, in turns, will limit the resulting braking force at the wheels of the machine. Thus, even a water droplet, when placed unerringly over any critical point of the car, can create an unsafe wheel arrangement and thus undermine the whole system.

Air will also enter the system if fluid leaks out and vapor will form if water contaminated fluid boils from the heat of braking. Thus, one must take care of the brake system whenever it rains. To help matters further, go with EBC products on inventory like EBC brake pads or EBC rotors. With the way the rains are coming, they’re certain to be needed in days to come.

The launch of the new engine to the BMW 6 Series range has been announced by BMW together with the revised model line-up. A new sector of the market has been opened by the BMW 635d as they have now coupled their acclaimed twin-turbocharged diesel to the marque’s flagship Grand Tourer. BMW 635d’s launched also occurred at the time of the introduction of the EfficientDynamic technology, which is an emission cutting technology, to the rest of the 6 Series range to enhance the performance. Aside from these major revisions, the BMW 6 also had elusive styling to signal the technological changes.

The powerful production brought by the six-cylinder diesel under the BMW 635d Coupe and Convertible’s hood makes the model all the more unique in its segment. Other competitors haven’t offered such frugal motoring in a Grand Tourer while satisfying the buyers who also want the best performance and refinement.

This is powered by a twin-turbocharged 2,993cc engine with an all-aluminum crankcase and third generation common rail fuel injection system. This unique engine is also capable of delivering an output of 286 horsepower and 580Nm of toque. A smaller turbocharger gives a near instantaneous response for fast initial acceleration before a larger turbocharger comes in mid-range to provide additional force to the redline. With the peak torque available from just 1,750rpm, there is a seamless wave smooth acceleration given to the driver. This is how the twin-turbocharger works, which makes a great performance possible.

It also gives a record of zero to 65mph in 6.3 seconds of time to the BMW 635d Coupe. On the other hand the Convertible achieves this speed in 6.6 seconds. The top speeds for both BMW 6 Series type is limited to 155mph. On the combined cycle and a CO2 emissions figure of 183g/km, the Coupe could still attain a 40.9mpg. The Convertible has nearly the same figures with a record of 39.2mpg and 190g/km.

An added performance is given to the revised BMW 635d in the form of the EfficientDynamics technology. The 6 Series range now, for the first time, now comes with Brake Energy Regeneration and other implementations of needs-only operations of ancillary units. The air-conditioning compressor can be decoupled from the drivetrain to avoid unnecessary drag on the engine and lower viscosity fluids are used in key component to decrease friction. There is an optimum gearshift indicator that is fitted to advise on economical motoring, and active flaps nestled behind the kidney grille can close off to enhance aerodynamic flow and decrease drag. These added features on the BMW 635d contribute to lower fuel consumption and emission figures of the vehicle.

As for the Brake Energy Regeneration that for the first time was incorporated in the BMW 6 Series range, this is an already added braking technology to other automobiles. This is a name for a system designed to automatically switch an electric motor into a generator as a vehicle slows down. The braking energy is captured so that batteries can be recharged, increasing the range of the vehicle. In BMW vehicles, it is their misnomer for an electric control unit that engages the alternator during braking, while freewheeling during acceleration and limiting its horsepower draw from the car’s engine while driving.

Mercedes Benz leads in automotive safety with their braking technology. Systems developed by the company have been helping improve road safety for many years now. In fact they also see a brighter future due to their endless efforts in developing new technologies that would make driving safer.

“Several years ago, we introduced PRE-SAFE, which gave the vehicle certain ‘reflexes,’ so to speak,” says Dr. Thomas Weber, Daimler Chrysler Board of Management member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes Car Group Development. “In the future, we will also give cars the ability to ‘see’ and ‘think.’ It’s always been a matter of policy for us to develop vehicles capable of withstanding the most severe crash tests. However, it makes much more sense to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place - which is exactly what we’re working on in the interest of all traffic participants.”

PRE-SAFE is just one of their innovations in braking systems. It is actually the successor of the Brake Assist (BAS) system, which Mercedes Benz began offering in 1996. It has proved to be a very effective technology for preventing accidents. After BAS was introduced as a standard equipment, the share of total accidents accounted for by rear-end collisions fell by eight percent for Mercedes vehicles, but remained nearly unchanged for all other brands. Brake Assist also led to a 13 percent reduction in the proportion of serious accidents involving pedestrians. It was also Mercedes Benz who first used this type of braking technology in their vehicles.

It has been reported that Mercedes Benz will continue to base the development of its driver assistance systems on real-life accident statistics, and will utilize new technologies to focus more strongly on the phase immediately preceding an accident. The brand’s engineers are said to be developing systems that monitor the area around the vehicle, warn drivers of potential dangers and then support them if necessary. Such systems will also activate preventive occupant protection systems in critical situations.

The era of the “seeing” car actually began in 2005 when the Mercedes-Benz’ BRAKE ASSIST PLUS (BAS PLUS) system was introduced. BAS PLUS and PRE-SAFE utilize radar sensors that measure the distance to the vehicle ahead, which are able to recognize an impending rear-end collision. BAS PLUS warns drivers of the danger and then immediately makes the braking pressure required for the situation at hand available. While, the PRE-SAFE Brake intervenes if an accident is close by braking the vehicle if the driver has not reacted to the prior warning noted by the system. This autonomous partial braking maneuver significantly reduces the impact speed should a collision still occur, whereby the system acts as an “electronic crumple zone” that offers vehicle occupants additional protection. A test conducted by the German Automobile Club (ADAC) shows that the PRE-SAFE Brake reduces the stresses vehicle occupants are exposed to in accidents by up to 45 percent.

Mercedes engineers are currently testing the second stage of the PRE-SAFE Brake, which involves initiating an automatic emergency braking maneuver if a collision becomes unavoidable. This will lead to a further substantial reduction of impact energy.