How Advanced Safety Features Are Transforming the Driving Experience?

India witnesses a staggering number of road accidents every year, with over 4.6 lakh road accidents in 2022 alone. Commercial vehicles account for a quarter of these incidents. About 55 percent of truck and bus drivers in India suffer from compromised vision, further increasing the risk of accidents. Most of these accidents can be prevented as they are often caused by human error, fatigue, or lack of awareness. Since trucks and buses directly contribute to a nation's logistics, ensuring commercial vehicle safety is a societal need.

Advanced safety features, especially ones powered by technology, are now transforming road and fleet safety in India. These technologies save lives and protect businesses, reducing accidental costs and improving the overall driving experience. As the Indian government pushes for the compulsory adoption of advanced safety features, commercial vehicles will become safer. Let's explore how these technologies make commercial vehicles safer.

Advanced Safety Technologies In Commercial Vehicles

The Lane Departure Warning System. uses sensors and cameras to monitor lane markings and alerts drivers if the vehicle moves out of the lane, preventing accidents caused by driver fatigue and distraction in longer journeys. Forward Collision Warning uses radar and cameras to detect obstacles or vehicles ahead to provide timely alerts to the driver. If the driver can't take timely action, the system automatically applies the brakes to avoid collisions. Blind Spot Detection Systems monitor areas that are invisible to the driver and issue warnings if other vehicles enter such zones. This reduces the chances of collision and unnecessary accidental costs.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) in modern vehicles uses the braking system to automatically apply the brakes on individual wheels if the system detects loss of traction or chances of skidding to prevent rollovers and maintain overall stability. Advanced braking features like Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) use Forward Collision Warning and other sensors to automatically apply the brakes to evade accidents.

Eicher will soon equip its vehicles with more modern driver assist features like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Eicher has partnered with Novus Hi-Tech to pair its commercial vehicles with ADAS systems, providing drivers with more peace of mind while driving on the highway. Its buses have an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), dual-circuit air brakes, automatic headlight control, driver monitoring system, and Automatic Headlight Control with Auto Dipper System (ADS).

Benefits Of Advanced Safety Technologies

The adoption of advanced safety and driver assist programs in commercial vehicles reduces accidents and fatalities by offering real-time alerts, automated interventions, and improved driver awareness. Collision Mitigation System and Lane Departure Warning help drivers avoid fatigue, distraction, and poor visibility. The Driver Monitoring System detects drowsiness and provides necessary warnings to reduce fatigue-related accidents, which are a leading cause of accidents during long-haul transportation.

Improved passenger safety comes from features such as electronic stability control and advanced braking features, both of which help with enhanced handling and vehicle control in emergency cases. Reduced rollover risk, skidding, and unwanted collisions are the merits of these features.

For business owners and fleet operators, advanced safety technologies lead to reduced vehicle damage and less downtime. By avoiding accidents, these systems reduce repair costs, unwanted insurance claims, and operational obstacles. Additionally, compliance with regulatory standards and maintaining safety gives fleet operators and business owners a better reputation in the market.

Future Of Safety In Commercial Vehicles

As India continues to progress, the need for more commercial vehicles for transportation and logistics is increasing, and so is the safety. Given Artificial Intelligence’s rising popularity in various sectors, the automotive industry has lately benefited from it. The future of commercial vehicle safety is currently being shaped by trends including AI-powered driver monitoring and real-time data analytics, plus the usage of autonomous driving technologies.

As the regulatory standards and technology evolve in automobiles, advanced safety aids will soon become more common in India, with all makers equipping their vehicles with more and more driver assist features. Once done, commercial vehicles will become safer in terms of road safety.

Conclusion

Advanced safety features are improving commercial vehicle safety not only in India but across the world, saving lives, reducing accidental costs, and bettering the driving experience. As technologies and regulations evolve, it's important for fleet owners/operators and drivers to prioritise road safety and choose models paired with the latest active and passive safety features. The road to safer journeys and efficient transportation/logistics starts with smarter choices, and one of them is road safety.