Author Archives: Jack @ NRMA

About Jack @ NRMA

Jack is the NRMA’s advocate and champion for vehicle technical and environmental issues. He has been with NRMA for 22 years and previous to that worked for a vehicle manufacturer and ran an emissions laboratory. He analyses new technologies, suggests any testing required and manages the NRMA’s involvement in national programs such as ANCAP, the high speed crash test program that provides safety ratings for purchasers of new vehicles; the Used Car Safety Ratings, that provide similar ratings for used cars; the Child Restraint Evaluation Program, to rate child restraints; and the Consumer Rating and Assessment of Safety Helmets (CRASH) to rate motorcycle helmets. Jack also presents NRMA policy and test results from these programs in the media, so you may see him on TV or hear him on the radio.

Crash Assist Technologies explained – Collision Warning and AEBS

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Ford's Forward Collision Warning technology illustration

GUARDIAN ANGEL: Flashing lights on the dash and an audible warning tell the driver to take action (thanks to Ford for the Forward Collision Warning illustration).

Collision Warning

Wouldn’t it be great if we all had a guardian angel on our shoulder, checking us all the time we’re driving to make sure all is well?

Collision Warning is a sort of like a guardian angel. It monitors the distance to the vehicle in front using cameras and/or sensors, and continuously calculates if a collision is imminent. It then warns the driver, usually with flashing lights on the dash and an audible warning, that action needs to be taken. The system only warns you – it doesn’t apply the brakes like Active Cruise Control or auto-brake (see below) – so you have to be on the ball or you may be too late to avoid a collision.

In heavy traffic, the warnings can be frequent and may become annoying, to the extent that drivers switch the system off, which defeats the purpose. It is also called Forward Collision Warning System.

Autonomous Emergency Braking System (AEBS)

AEBS is an extension of collision warning. It uses cameras or other sensors to monitor vehicles in front, warns the driver, then applies the brakes if it detects an imminent collision and the driver takes no action. While the systems will only avoid a collision below a specific closing speed, at higher speeds it can at least reduce the impact speed, and therefore vehicle damage and possible injury.

It is helpful if you are momentarily distracted or if something unexpected happens in front of you. Similarly to Forward Collision Warning, if it triggers too often drivers may switch it off. Manufacturers have a range of brand names for such systems, including City Safety, Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake, EyeSight, and Pre-Safe Brake.

It will become mandatory in Europe for new heavy vehicles from 2013.

What’s your experience with Collision Warning Technology and Autonomous Emergency Braking Systems? Are they features you like?

Crash Assist Technologies explained – What is Active Cruise Control?

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Active Cruise Control

CO-PILOT: The system detects preceding vehicles by means of radar sensors or cameras and adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance in front of your car. Image courtesy of www.audi.com.

We all know how annoying it can be trying to keep your vehicle’s speed steady and below the speed limit on long trips. 

Many vehicles now have cruise control, which aims to keep the speed of a car at a set point by adjusting the accelerator automatically. Typically the system doesn’t apply the brakes on downhill stretches, so it is recommended to be used only on relatively flat, straight roads, although a few models provide braking by changing down the automatic gearbox to a lower gear.

There are two views on the influence of cruise control on crash rates:

  1.  It relieves you of the necessity of controlling your speed and gives you more time to concentrate on other dangers around you, so it is advantageous.
  2. The lack of attention to speed control leads to boredom and a greater likelihood of mistakes due to fatigue, so it is detrimental.

There is not enough evidence yet to determine which is the more likely. However, fatigue, at least, can be addressed by regular rest breaks.

Active cruise control is an enhancement of cruise control and uses cameras or radar to detect the car you are following and controls the accelerator and brakes to maintain the same speed.

As our roads become increasingly busy and congested this can be a very useful feature. However, on busy multi-lane roads the systems sometimes brake heavily if a car cuts in front of you, which can be annoying. It can be useful in steadily moving traffic but it can’t anticipate congestion conditions as well as a person can, so it won’t react to a traffic slowdown until the car in front does.

Some systems will reduce speed to zero when the car in front stops, then accelerate again when it moves off. Most need to be “prompted” if there is too long a stop, by pressing a button on the steering wheel or touching the accelerator.

It is also called Adaptive Cruise Control or Autonomous Cruise Control. It is not yet widespread in new vehicles and is only available in luxury and top-level variants but, as with all new technology, will become more common with increasing volume and falling cost.

What’s your experience with ACC? Is it a feature you like?

Next time, we’ll take a look at Collision Warning Technologies, plus other safety  innovations that are changing the way we drive.

The End of Registration Labels

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Rego Sticker Retirement

END OF AN ERA: From 1 January 2013 your registration certificate will not include a label but you will still have to renew your registration each year.

From 1 January next year, registration labels won’t be required on light vehicles (this includes cars, light commercials, trailers, and motorcycles and scooters).

The labels are no longer needed because the police have number plate recognition technology that can quickly check from a camera image whether a vehicle is registered.

From 1 January 2013 your registration certificate will not include a label but you will still have to renew your registration each year and write the receipt number for your payment on the certificate.

If you have an existing label on the vehicle you can remove it from 1 January if you wish but you MUST keep the label on your vehicle until 1 January.

This only applies to New South Wales. It will begin in ACT on July 1, 2013. South Australia and Western Australia have already implemented the change.

If you want to check if your car is registered you can call the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) on 13 22 13. You will need your rego number and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).  You can also check online here (it’s a much easier process online as a VIN is not required).

If you are in the process of buying a vehicle, you can check if it is registered at https://myrta.com/regcheck/ or by calling 13 22 13.

For more info visit the RMS site: http://bit.ly/QIQsG4

What do you make of this decision?

Safe New World – Crash Avoidance Technologies – ESC

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Electronic Stability Control

EASY AS ESC: ESC brakes each of the four wheels individually to help control a slide or skid.

NRMA has long been involved in ANCAP, which produces safety ratings for new cars, and the Used Car Safety Ratings, which does the same for used cars.

While these ratings measure how well vehicles protect occupants in serious collisions, the programs have not paid much attention to crash avoidance technology, although this is changing. The driver-assist technologies now appearing in new vehicles are being introduced very quickly and are swelling the world’s annals of unrecognizable acronyms.

To help you understand what the acronyms mean and the technologies do, we’ve put together a few blogs, starting with this one. It explains Electronic Stability Control: a technology which any 5 star rated ANCAP car must now include.

Electronic Stability Control – ESC

Skids or slides on the road can be difficult to control, particularly where a road is in slippery or in bad condition. They can lead to a collision with another vehicle or to the vehicle sliding off the side off the road. In many cases this results in a roll-over, caused by the vehicle “tripping” over something like a kerb or drain. A roll-over is a very dangerous type of crash because many vehicles have insufficient roof strength to prevent them collapsing onto the occupants, and unrestrained objects in the vehicle become missiles which can injure occupants from direct impact.

ESC brakes each of the four wheels individually to help control a slide or skid. A multi-axis sensor determines whether the car is veering from the driver’s intended direction as indicated by the steering wheel position and the system cuts the throttle and applies brakes as required. Braking only one side of the vehicle makes it turn in that direction.

Stability control has been shown by Australian research funded by NRMA to reduce single-vehicle crashes by as much as 65 per cent in SUVs.

It is variously called ESC, ESP, DSC or VSC depending on the vehicle brand. On many vehicles ESC can be switched off but, unless you’re on a racetrack, in heavy snow or going off-road, you should leave it on at all times.

Next time, we will discuss Active Cruise Control.

Car Rego stickers abolished

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The NSW Government announced that registration labels will not be required on light vehicles (under 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) from next year.  The stickers, which have been a part of life for NSW motorists for 80 years, will no longer be required from 1 January 2013. South Australia and Western Australia abolished labels some years ago with no apparent problem. Light vehicles include:

  • Cars
  • Motorcycles
  • Light trailers
  • Caravans
  • Some trucks
  • Light buses
  • Taxis

NRMA supported the change to simplify the registration process for motorists.  We also raised the issue of employee drivers being directed to drive a vehicle without knowing whether it was registered.  The Government has committed to providing relief from penalties for driving an unregistered vehicle where an employee is not the registered operator of the vehicle.

Identification of vehicles by authorities will be by number plate recognition, which is now a mature technology.  However, vehicle buyers should now check the registration details of any vehicle they are interested in purchasing with the RMS as they will not be able to inspect the registration label.  Motorists will still receive a reminder to renew their registration and CTP insurance (green slip).

NRMA have also recommended a substantial education campaign before this change comes into effect to educate vehicle owners about the change.

For more information and questions about this change, visit the RMS website.