HOME: TOP: There's more than one way to benefit from a blind spot mirror or detection technology. But with LaneFX and ParkFX, drivers are using the most advanced safety technology of 2007 to make their daily commutes safer and more stress-free. See and compare LaneFX to automakers' blind spot systems to see how LaneFX's technology exceeds passive detectors and annoying blinking lights.
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Keeping an Eye on Blind SpotsMany accidents occur when a driver tries to change lanes on a highway without being aware that a vehicle is in his "blind spot." For 2007, Audi and Volvo are addressing this dilemma with two systems that can detect vehicles that a driver might not see on either side of his car. Both systems use LED displays near each outside rearview mirror to warn a driver that he shouldn't attempt a lane change because a vehicle is in or is rapidly approaching a car's blind spot. Audi's Side Assist system, which made its debut in the new 2007 Q7 SUV, uses radar to detect other vehicles. Volvo's Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) available on the new S80 sedan due in early 2007, uses cameras. |
LaneFX is Leading the Way for Auto Safety and Driver Awareness EverydayDrive Safer With the Drivaware LaneFX: Derik’s Thoughts: Geeky and useful. Double threat!
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Back-over AccidentsMoms Put ParkFX to the TestThere are no government statistics, but some estimate the family car killed as many as 500 children across the country last year. And the accidents happened in their own driveways. While some may wonder what kind of parent could do that, Rachel Clemens said it could happen to just about anyone. Two years ago, her daughter Adrianna wandered out of her Garland home. That’s when Adrianna's father accidentally backed over the child with his SUV. "He didn't see her," Clemens said. "That was the last day I saw my daughter alive." So, how could you not see a child behind the family car? Three Dallas moms agreed to take a safety test with the understanding that they would not know exactly what the tests were about. While they were distracted filling out a questionnaire, Drivaware and Safe4Kids placed an orange cone about 8-feet behind their vehicles and the drivers were then asked to back up. All three plowed right over the cone. "Did I just run over something?" Adrienne Ludlow as said as she backed up. "Oh, I hit the cone," said Amy Gordon. "I figured it was a branch or something," said Merideth Manning. Drivaware and Safe4Kids measured the blind spot behind each of their vehicles. The Honda Pilot had a blind spot over 30 feet, an Infiniti G35 about 18 feet and a Chevy Tahoe more than 35 feet. The eye-opening experiment had all three women interested in the same thing, which was looking into safety equipment like ParkFX or a rear sensor that beeps faster the closer a driver gets to an object. Safety cameras mounted on the rear of car are also available. The cameras relay a picture of the blind spot to a screen on the dashboard. Both technologies are available on new cars with after-market installation costs less than $500. "I would absolutely buy it, but wouldn't think of it until you came over and showed me how dangerous this could possibly be," Gordon said. Attorney Windle Turley represents the Clemens family, which sued Nissan, the maker of the family's SUV. They claim the technology should have been standard equipment. The case is still pending. "Manufacturers take off this needed safety equipment so they can market their vehicle a little bit lower in price than their competitors; and that's really wrong,” Turley said. The trade group representing automakers says, "the best defense against back-over accidents is to check around the vehicle before you back up." "That does not work and you're sending the wrong signal,” Clemens said. Clemens, and several lawmakers in Washington, support legislation that would require automakers to put back-over safety equipment on all new cars. Experts say it would add up to $200 to the price. "To me, I think to anybody, any parent, the cost is nothing compared to a child's life," Clemens said. There are no official numbers, but one safety group estimates that in Texas more than 90 children have been killed in or around parked vehicles in the last 15 years. |
Top Fun Gifts for Tech Lovers Under $40Do you have friends who are more into gadgets and technology that it seems like a crazy obsession almost? Are you trying really hard to get something that won't be quickly replaced by the next model, or the smaller and faster machine? Well, then this guide is for you. Gadgets can make excellent gifts, especially for the tech-savvy. However, a vast majority of them can be extremely deadly to your budget. So what should you do in these cases? Surprisingly, there are many options available to you today. Before we go into the top gadgets gifts, here are some tips :Don't go for the older model of something because it's cheaper. If your friend is really tech-savvy, he/she will want to get the newer one anyway. Make sure that these gadgets are useful or fun and won't be extra work or cost for them. For example, avoid getting something like a car security device that requires long installation time and effort. If you get something that needs batteries to run, include the batteries in it. Always try to bundle something with the gift that will increase the effectiveness of the gift or help in some other way. For example, I often recommend bundling theLight In The Darkness program with many things because it helps remove the financial pressure on someone and is super cheap for what it offers. If it's a battle between something that's useful and sentimental, always get the pragmatic gift for a guy, and the sentimental/decorative gift for the woman. Here's a quick look at some of the different options available to you for gift giving this holiday season. All of the following gadgets cost $40 or lower: Scrolling License Plate Frame : The scrolling license plate frame is for those who get bored of the meaningless license plate pretty quick and would rather have a message to go with their license plates. The frame displays a scrolling message on the back of the car. The messages are customizable and you can create your own messages with it. Here's what the Scrolling License Plate Frame offers: License plate frame features a built-in scrolling message display. Create up to five custom messages with up to 120 characters each. |
Steering Wheels Get More and More ButtonsThe steering wheel is quickly become the control center for the entire vehicle. Auto manufacturer's are using the steering wheel to add new buttons and controls for everything from controlling the radio to switching gears. USA Today reports that many cars already have 10 to 15 different buttons on the steering wheel: The fingertip frenzy isn't just about luxury cars, either. Sure, the $73,750 Range Rover SUV offers 10 buttons or toggles, not including the horn. And the $49,100 Acura RL sedan has 16, in addition to two thumb paddles for manually changing gears. But Toyota's humble — albeit fully-loaded — $26,040 Prius gas-electric hybrid sedan includes 15 places to mash a thumb into the steering wheel.Many more steering wheel control buttons are expected in future vehicles. USA Today's article said the new Mercedes-Benz M-Class will "let drivers control the volume and play list of their Apple iPod digital music players from the steering wheel." But voice commands are coming as well which may make these buttons less important. Why press a button when you can just say "Window Washers On. Maximum Speed." Auto manufacturers will have to caution to keep these steering wheel buttons and voice commands from getting out of hand. |
Compare Backup Sensors & Cameras to ParkFXGet the Latest Information on the Most Reliable Backup Warning TechnologiesNot all reversing aids are equal. The sensing technology and the indicating method are critical to your driving safety. How a park assist system alerts youOne option is video, which at first seems like a great choice. But one major flaw with having a video camera affixed to the back of your car with a monitor on your dashboard is that it also forces you to look forward while backing up. That can disturb your perception, your reaction time, and feel very unnatural. They are also extremely expensive, and you'll pay thousands of dollars to have a video system attached to your car, whether from the dealer or an aftermarket supplier. Compare that to other bargain basement devices which actually have LED displays (little red lights) on your dashboard. These are cumbersome -- almost useless -- for much the same reason as video: when you drive in reverse, you naturally look behind you, and you'll never see the little red lights. They are also hard to read in bright sunlight. Some other bargain technologies use a tone which beeps more rapidly as you get closer to an obstacle. You can at least hear the relative distance just by listening to the beeps, but you have to practice a bit to really understand how far you are from danger. That's why an audible voice sensor is best. It tells you in a spoken voice exactly how far away you are. Not only do you not have to awkwardly look forward at your dashboard, you'll know without guessing how much further you can safely back up. How a reversing aid detects objectsIf you've never seen or used a reversing aid, you might be surprised at how technically advanced they actually can be. Reversing aids use a variety of technologies to sense an object behind the car. Some units use Doppler radar, and others use infrared sensors, but by far the most accurate method of detection is the one the U.S. Navy uses on its submarines: sonar. Sonar can operate in any weather, including direct sunlight or rain. And it doesn't require that the car be moving in order to sense an obstruction. |
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of the time, when consumer electronics meet the automotive world, you get more stereo options and DVD players in the back seat. Drivaware has something a little more useful: the Buy LaneFX
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