New seat technology alerts drivers to pending danger
Narrator: Active safety systems in automobiles such as anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control have been helping drivers avoid crashes for many years. Today, new on-car technologies means auto makers can offer drivers even more protection.
Raymond Kiefer: There are a variety of crash avoidance sensors that work together to help the driver avoid crashes. We have a forward looking camera; we have radar and ultrasonic sensors looking forward; we have radar sensors looking to the side of the vehicle; and in the rear of the vehicle we have both radar and ultrasonic sensors.
Narrator: All these sensors on the new Cadillac XDS combined with Cadillac’s new safety alert seat with directional tactile sensation, make possible active safety features such as lane departure warning, side blind zone alert, front and rear parking assist, rear cross traffic alert, and forward collision alert.
Raymond Kiefer: The safety alert seat uses vibrations much like a cell phone uses vibrations, except the vibrations here occur on the bottom of the seat either on the left side or the right side or both sides of the seat, and the pulsing nature of the pattern as well as what side the vibrations occur, tell the driver the threat and the threat direction.
Narrator: Cadillac believes that directional vibrations in the safety alert seat may prove to be more effective than standard audio warning beeps for indicating where the problem is; and for helping drivers who may not hear beeps, or find them annoying.
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