Safety By Design
No, aliens have not landed! The image is a Pedestrian Detection Systems indicator symbol. It is associated with a new system now being deployed. What looks for all the world like energy beams emanating from a humanoid’s hands are actually meant to be lane lines the human(oid) is standing in.
But this article is not about the warning light, rather about new auto safety systems in general. We retweeted this item from Retro Report in November. It is a video that traces the history of safety systems in cars, particularly that of air bags. We hope that everyone currently working on new automotive safety systems is well versed in this history. Air bags have saved countless thousands of lives since their introduction in the 1970s, but many others died while the industry worked out a few flaws in their first iterations.
Soon after their adoption, the industry discovered that the force of an air bag deployment could and did kill children and small adults. No one thought of this in advance of their use. The result is that we now host young children in the back seats and sensors keep passenger side airbags turned off until enough weight is detected in the passenger seat. A light like the one in the image will appear somewhere on the dashboard.
Air Bag Recalls
Currently a massive recall continues because of flawed air bag inflators. Shrapnel from inflators have killed drivers. Already recalls have been issued to address auto baking systems that were randomly deploying when a collision was not imminent. No one has been hurt or killed by these systems, at least not yet. And now we have pedestrian detection systems being deployed.
New technologies always result in problems before they are truly effective. Anyone who’s ever owned a computer can attest to that. And of course, computers and software are at the heart of today’s safety trends.
Ultimately the plan is for cars to drive themselves, and some can in limited settings, and we’ve already seen drivers do absolutely moronic things with their cars while on autopilot: setting excessive speeds and leaving the driver’s seat completely.
There are very, very smart people working on these systems, but what might not be thought of in advance of deployment is what will come back to haunt us all. We hope that they keep the troubles encountered making air bags work, and keeping them working, in the front of their minds at all times.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Push Button Start — A Little Touch Will Do Ya
Push Button Start
So, we recently put together a video about push button or keyless start systems. Why? Well, it may be a bit silly, but its been nagging at us that the results just may be start button failures in the future.
You see, no matter what the start button in your push button start car looks like, or even if its a lever, a single press is a command to start the car and is all that’s needed. Yet we have seen automotive professionals at all levels from service writers to technicians and from sales people to automotive journalists repeat the same mistake — holding the button down until the vehicle starts! It is a habit left over from key start cars, where the key needs to held in the start position until the engine starts, and is simply not necessary.
The video demonstrates multiple times in multiple vehicles that it is completely unnecessary. A single touch, and you’re off.
We haven’t found anyone who can say for a fact that holding the button actually causes any harm. Although once underway, many manufacturers make a press and hold of the button an emergency shut down procedure. But, since holding the button down until the engine starts is unnecessary, why do
it? Just press and go. Maybe it will save a little maintenance cost down the road.
For more videos and information on push-button start cars and automotive warning lights, check our channel on YouTube or search here at DashboardSymbols.com.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY