Top 10 Car Technologies For Mature Drivers

Smart headlights, emergency response systems and reverse monitoring features rank highest in car technologies that benefit mature drivers, according to researchers at The Hartford and the AgeLab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“Since drivers over the age of 50 are more likely than any other age group to purchase the types of vehicles that contain modern technologies, we set out to identify the top 10 features that mature drivers should consider,” said Jodi Olshevski, gerontologist at The Hartford. “While older drivers as a group are relatively safe, these technologies can help to enhance their abilities and promote safe driving for a lifetime.”

The findings of the research paper, Top Technologies for Mature Drivers , rank these as the highest for mature drivers:

1. Smart headlights: adjust the range and intensity of light based on the distance of traffic and to reduce glare and improve night vision

2. Emergency response systems: offer quick assistance to drivers in the case of a medical emergency or collision, often allowing emergency personnel to get to the scene more quickly

3. Reverse monitoring systems: warn of objects to the rear of the vehicle to help drivers judge distances and back up safely, and helps drivers with reduced flexibility

4. Blind spot warning systems: warn drivers of objects in blind spots, especially while changing lanes and parking, and helps those with limited range of motion

5. Lane departure warning: monitors the vehicle’s position and warns the driver if the vehicle deviates outside the lane, helping drivers stay in their lane

6. Vehicle stability control: helps to automatically bring the vehicle back in the intended line of travel, particularly in situations where the driver underestimates the angle of a curve or experiences weather effects, and reduces the likelihood of a crash

7. Assistive parking systems: enable vehicles to park on their own or indicates distance to objects, reducing driver stress, making parking easier, and increasing the places that a driver can park

8. Voice activated systems: allow drivers to access features by voice command so they can keep focused on the road

9. Crash mitigation systems: detect when the vehicle may be in danger of a collision and can help to minimize injuries to passengers

10. Drowsy driver alerts: monitor the degree to which a driver may be inattentive while on the road and helps alert drivers to the driving task

“Technological advancements in the automotive industry are happening at a rapid rate,” said Joseph F. Coughlin, PhD, Director, MIT AgeLab. “As more and more of these features are incorporated into vehicles, we believe that it’s important for drivers to be knowledgeable of and use those technologies that can enhance safe driving capacity, comfort, and confidence.”

Source: the Hartford and MIT AgeLab