According to estimates brought forth by the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS), more than a quarter of the nearly 6 million annual traffic incidents can be attributed to rear-end collisions. Furthermore, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has gone on record to state that many of these accidents are the result of inattentive drivers and negligence of proper safety procedures. In response to these statistics, GM has developed a system that helps drivers maintain awareness of potential hazards and react accordingly. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has given an endorsement of the new system, indicating it may result in a reduction of such incidents.

The crash avoidance system works by using sensors to locate vehicles in front of a driver as well as the lanes painted on the road. This is confirmed to the driver through the use of solid green icons. When the system perceives a crash with the vehicle in front may occur, it will switch to a flashing red icon accompanied by a warning beep, alerting the driver of a potential forward collision. If the system determines that a collision is imminent, it will ready the braking system to prepare for a sudden stop. Failing to signal will result in another warning, a flashing amber icon accompanied by an audible chime. The system also takes into account the speed of the vehicle. For example, the forward collision alert does not trigger at speeds under 25 mph, whereas the lane departure alarm does not sound at speeds under 35 mph.

The camera captures video at 14 frames per second, which the software uses to calculate whether a forward vehicle is decelerating at a potentially dangerous rate. The software also takes into account various driver data, such as acceleration, braking and steering changes. In addition, the system can recognize taillights and is engineered to work day and night.

Dave Arbogast GMC has a huge selection of Terrain models. For a demonstration of the new crash avoidance system please visit us in Troy.