Safety Isn't Optional

This is a work in progress, and in Europe it is receiving a major push. By 2010, the European Union Commission wants automotive manufacturers to produce cars and trucks that will be less injurious to pedestrians and bicyclists in vehicle accidents.

Several approaches are being studied. They eventually could affect the shape and styling of vehicles sold in the United States as well.

Siemens, for example, has been experimenting with its Siemens Restraint System, which partially relies on repositioning the battery, various engine components and the hood latch to create the equivalent of a softer landing zone for pedestrians who often are killed by the impact of their bodies slamming into the hood after being struck. Siemens also is looking at electronically adjustable bumpers that flex automatically when striking soft objects; and it is studying the feasibility of equipping cars with external air bags or foam-cushioned bumpers.

• Active safety

There is much going on here. Most new cars and trucks sold in the United States come with anti-lock brakes, which are designed to prevent wheel lock and loss of driver control in panic stops.

Now anti-lock brakes have been joined by algorithmic variations on the theme, including traction control, anti-slip devices and stability control. All are designed to reduce the loss of driver control, especially on slippery roads and during panic maneuvers. In more expensive cars, some of these systems are coupled with "electronic brake assistance," which is an anticipatory device that senses when a driver is about to hit the brakes hard, then does the job for him or her before the driver can fully depress the pedal.

For the record, the electronic braking systems so far are failing to win the hearts and minds of drivers, many of whom complain that they feel they are being "second-guessed" by cars equipped with the devices.

But traction control is winning kudos, especially in icy climates. Traction control reduces wheel spin on slippery surfaces, generally when starting the car or truck from a stop. It automatically uses a combination of braking power and engine-throttle control to reduce power flowing to the slipping wheels and to give them more traction.

Also becoming commonplace, and increasingly more sophisticated, are a variety of all-wheel-drive systems that operate without driver input -- automatically transferring power from slipping to gripping wheels. But keep in mind that all-wheel-drive systems essentially are for on-road use. Four-wheel-drive systems, often found on full-fledged sport-utility vehicles, generally have a four-wheel low gear and a locking differential system, the combination of which primarily is useful for off-road travel.

Eventually, sonar and radar collision-avoidance systems will be sold as standard equipment on many cars and trucks. These will include crash-avoidance systems for the front, side and rear ends of vehicles. In basic form, they will give the driver an audible or visual proximity warning alert, such as a beep, flashing light or combination of both, when his car is getting too close to another.