Car safety technology just keeps getting better.  Automakers are prioritizing advanced safety features fitted in their new models to help drivers avoid undesirable situations on the road. With so many new safety advancements and vague descriptions, it can be hard to decipher what these features actually do. Here is a list of the most common and useful safety features in new cars explained in plain English.

Active Driving Assistance 

Active driving assistance is a big one these days. It will help you adjust your vehicle’s steering, speed, and braking but it doesn’t replace you actively paying attention while driving. This capability might also be referred to as adaptive cruise control. Depending on the model, active driving assistance may only work in certain driving situations.

Lane Keeping Assistance and Lane Departure Warning

Lane-keeping assistance and lane departure warning has the same safety objective but are slightly different from each other.  Lane-keeping assistance will help you control your steering to avoid veering off into another lane. Lane departure warning alerts you based on approaching road markers.

Blind Spot Warning

Blindspot warning or blindspot detection is a great help when trying to identify other cars and objects behind you. This feature will flag vehicles, objects, and even people at the rear of your car. Other features that complement the blind spot warning is park assist which can do most of the parking work for you.

Rearview Camera 

A car’s rearview camera has multiple angles to help you reverse more confidently. A rearview camera almost seems as common as airbags now. Some cars also have what’s called a surround-view camera which gives you an even more comprehensive view of your surroundings.

Rear Cross-Traffic Warning

This will alert you about nearing vehicles from the rear and the side. These alerts can be visual or audible depending on the model you pick. 

Forward Collision Warning 

The forward collision warning is another standout when it comes to advanced safety features. This element will warn you about forthcoming collisions with other cars as you drive forward and some can decipher between vehicles and pedestrians.

Automatic Emergency Braking

This feature is an added safety net in case you get distracted or even doze off behind the wheel. As you’re driving forward, the vehicle will automatically brake based on what’s ahead of you to either prevent impact altogether or minimize the impact. Some cars even have a rear automatic braking feature which will automatically apply the brakes for you as needed when you drive in the reverse. 

Driver Monitoring 

For additional help with keeping focused on the road, you might want to consider a car that offers driver monitoring which will literally track how engaged you are while driving by the way your head is positioned. 

Safety Exit Assist

This feature is being made popular by car brands Hyundai and Kia. Safety exist assistance takes child safety locks to the next level. Safety exit assistance will prevent your kids from being able to open the rear doors when other vehicles may be coming from behind.