No one loves car accidents—not the victims who feel the pain, the drivers who feel the guilt, and surely not the car makers who have included some safety features to prevent them. Some of these features alert drivers so they can act, while others go beyond alerting to act automatically. Note that your car may not have all of them, and they may work differently in your car. Here are 15 car safety features we’re thankful for.

Antilock Braking System (ABS)

A little control during chaos puts the driver’s fate in his hands—that’s what ABS provides. This feature prevents the wheel from locking up so the driver can steer to a place where the impact on the vehicle will be less or away from other vehicles and humans so they don’t get involved in the accident.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

You can lose control of your car in several instances, like on slippery roads. ESC exists to detect such moments and take control of the vehicle until the driver regains control. When it takes control, it directs the car towards where the driver intends so it doesn’t go off course.

Adaptive Cruise Control

If you’re distracted, your car can run into the car ahead of you. That’s why we have adaptive cruise control. Its job is to monitor the motion of cars ahead of you so it can slow down when they do and go back to the initial speed when your front is freer.

Lane Departure Warning System

This system comprises several features offering different functions to keep your car in its lane. The lane departure warning will prompt the driver when leaving their lane, and the lane-keeping assist will nudge the car towards the correct lane. Autosteer—which can keep a car on the lane with little assistance—is also part of this system.

Blind Spot Detection

We can’t see every car around us, but these days, we don’t need to, thanks to blind spot monitoring systems that keep us informed. These systems work using sensors or cameras to monitor beside and behind your car and warn you about those your eyes can’t catch to prevent a collision. 

Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

This system prevents you from running into a car in front of you. FCW also helps you watch cars ahead of you and lets you know when they slow down or stop. It monitors not only the distance between your vehicle and the one ahead but also the speeds of both so it can provide timely warnings.

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)

In cases where you miss your forward collision warning or don’t act on it, this feature can be a lifesaver. It applies the brakes automatically and sometimes can bring the car to a full stop. This way, accidents are avoided, even when drivers don’t react quickly enough.

Backup Camera

The work of a backup camera is to show a driver what is behind the car. Because the display from the camera is planted in front of them, they don’t need to turn around. They can easily see their front through the windshield and the back through the backup camera display.

360-Degree Camera System

This system is also known as the surround view system because it covers all sides of the vehicle. It works with cameras set around the vehicles, all providing views wide enough for a panoramic view when merged. Thanks to it, parking is safer, as drivers can see everywhere.

Traction Control System (TCS)

Wheels can lose their grip on wet or untarred roads. And so, TCS is set up in vehicles to catch this problem and correct it so the car doesn’t lose traction. With this feature, the car enjoys more stability, and drifting and spinning are less likely to happen. 

Adaptive Headlights

When driving at night, you need your headlights on, but when you’re making a curve, if they aren’t adaptive, you won’t see the road ahead of you until you fully turn. Adaptive headlights solve this problem by tilting towards where you intend to turn. Now, you can see obstacles on time.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

Your tire will lose pressure as you keep using it—you just have to accept that. However, with this system, you can be ahead of it before it causes a problem. It will tell you when the tire pressure falls below what it should be, usually through a light.

Automatic High Beams

Even though high beams provide more illumination for safe driving, they can blind drivers facing you and cause accidents for them, which can also involve your vehicle. This feature automatically reduces light brightness when an approaching car is detected. They also make switching between high and low beams less stressful. 

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert

Side visibility can be limited when a driver is reversing out of their parking spot, but rear cross-traffic alert is here to help. It will alert drivers of vehicles approaching from both sides so they can wait for them to pass and pull out when the sides are clearer.

Driver Attention Monitor

No one is above being distracted or sleepy when driving, and that’s why we have the driver attention monitor. The driver will get warnings from it when it notices signs of distraction or sleepiness. If it sees the possibility of an accident and a driver doesn’t react, it may react by applying the brakes automatically.