driving safety. Driver control systems
Concentration while driving is one of the key elements of safe driving. At present, the vehicle user can count on the support of modern technologies in this area.
As Radosław Jaskulski, instructor at Skoda Auto Szkoła, explains, there are three key elements in the process of observing the road. First, this is the area we are looking at. It should be as wide as possible and should also cover the surroundings of the road.
“By focusing only on the road without observing the surroundings, it is too late to notice a vehicle entering the roadway or a pedestrian trying to cross the road,” the instructor says.
The second element is concentration. It is because of the focus on the task that the driver is alert, alert and ready to respond quickly. If he sees a ball bouncing off the road, he can expect someone trying to catch it to run out into the street.
“Thanks to the ability to analyze the environment, we get additional time to react, because we know what can happen,” emphasizes Radoslav Jaskulsky.
There are also a number of other elements that influence the behavior of the driver behind the wheel, such as temperament and personality traits or psychomotor and psychophysical fitness. The last two determinants worsen as the driver becomes fatigued. The longer he drives a vehicle, the lower his psychomotor and psychophysical performance. The problem is that the driver can not always catch the moment when he gets tired.
Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that the driver only notices his fatigue when he misses a traffic sign or, even worse, becomes a participant in a traffic accident or accident.
Auto designers are trying to help drivers by equipping their cars with systems that support users while driving. Such systems are also installed on models of popular brands. For example, Skoda offers the Emergency Assistant system, which monitors driver behavior and detects driver fatigue. For example, if the system notices that the driver has not moved for a certain period of time, it will send an alert. If there is no response from the driver, the vehicle will automatically produce a short controlled brake pull, and if this does not help, the vehicle will automatically stop and turn on the alarm.
Often accidents are caused by noticing a warning sign too late or not being able to see it at all. In this case, the Travel Assist system will help, which monitors road signs up to 50 meters in front of the car and informs the driver about them, displaying them on the Maxi DOT display or infotainment system.
Also useful is Lane Assist, or Traffic Jam Assist, which is a combination of Lane Assist with active cruise control. At speeds up to 60 km/h, the system can take full control of the driver when driving slowly on busy roads. So the car itself monitors the distance to the car in front, so that the driver is relieved of constant control of the traffic situation.
However, the safety and driver assistance systems used by Skoda do not only serve the users of these vehicles. They also contribute to the safety of other road users. For example, if the driver falls, the system that controls his behavior is activated, the risk caused by the uncontrolled movement of the car is reduced.
