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Automotive technology makes advances annually, adding new performance, convenience, and safety features to popular models. Fortunately, advances in car tech have added these five safety features with the potential to save you and others to many new cars. However, most of these features aren’t standard equipment on every new car.

These five modern car safety features can help motorists stay in their lane, monitor their blind spots, and even stop faster

  • Blind spot monitoring/detection
  • Automatic emergency braking
  • Lane departure warning and keep assist
  • Tire monitoring
  • Adaptive cruise control

See that little orange, amber, or red icon that appears on your seemingly simple mirror? That’s a blind spot monitoring (BSM) and detection facility warning you that changing lanes or turning at that very moment could be dangerous. It’s especially important for detecting smaller vehicles like motorcycles.

In addition to blind spot detection, many new vehicles offer an automatic emergency braking (AEB) function. As the name suggests, AEB will detect a potentially dangerous hazard and brake for the driver. Better yet, AEB may respond faster than a driver can in an emergency.

It happens. Drivers lose focus or get tired and drift out of their lane. Enter car safety features like lane departure warning and lane keep assist. The former can warn you with haptics and audible notifications. And the latter can gently persuade your steering inputs to keep you in your lane.

It might seem old-school, but a modern tire monitoring suite can keep you safe. Insufficient tire pressure can compromise traction and braking performance. Don’t believe me? A tire issue claimed the life of racing driver and world champion Jim Clark, a man who many still consider one of the best drivers of all time.

Finally, adaptive cruise control can take much of the guesswork out of long drives using conventional cruise control. The suite uses sensory equipment to maintain speed with the vehicle ahead. As such, it can slow quickly, even when the driver is distracted. 

Tragically, some of these safety features prompt car drivers to defocus. Adaptive cruise control, for instance, will manage speed relative to a reference point vehicle ahead. As such, less-than-vigilant motorists may use the function as an excuse to drop their gaze and check their smartphones.

While adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist can perform many driving functions in a straight line, it’s never safe to take your eyes off the road and your mirrors. Incidentally, like anything else, a driver has to use the modern safety features in their car to enjoy the benefits. Consult your owner’s manual for specifics on your car’s safety features.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).