Motoring Technology 1.2 million road deaths
worldwide occur each year, plus a further 50 million injuries. To reduce car
crash rate, much research now is focused on safety and new fuels-- though some
electric vehicle and biofuel research aims at going faster.
Travelling at speed has always been risky. One cutting edge area2of
research in motoring safety is the use of digital in-car assistants. They can
ensure you don’t miss crucial road signs or fall asleep. The use of artificial
intelligence software allows these assistants to monitor your driving and makes
sure your phone or radio doesn’t distract you at a vital moment. Most crashes
result from human and not mechanical faults. Some safety
developments aim to improve your vision. Radar can spot obstacles in fog, while
other technology "sees through" high-sided vehicles blocking your
view. And improvements to seat belts, pedal controls and tyres
are making driving smoother and safer. The colour of a car has been found to be
linked with safety, as have, less surprisingly, size and shape.
And alternatives to fossil-fuel based petrol, such as plant oils, are a
hot area of research. Fuel cells based on hydrogen burn cleanly, and are the
subject of a serious research effort, But whatever is in the
fuel tank, you don’t want a thief in the driving seat and there have been many
innovations, some using satellite tracking and remote communications, to fight
against car theft. These communication systems can also come into play if you
crash, automatically calling for help. Accidents cause many
traffic jams, but there are more subtle interplays between vehicles that can
cause jams even on a clear but busy road. Such jams can be analysed using
statistical tools. Robotic drivers could be programmed to make traffic flow
smoothly and will perhaps one day be everyone’s personal chauffeur, but their
latest efforts suggest that won’t be soon.
What are researchers interested in doing as the road accidents worldwide increase to a shocking rate
A．They are developing faster electric vehicles. B．They are analyzing road deaths occurring worldwide every year. C．They focus their research on safety and new fuels. D．They are designing fully automatic cars.
