There is a common misconception that new cars are not the same anymore. Not as strong as before. Here in the old days ... Stop! Stop being nostalgic for made-up reasons. In some ways, the cars really deteriorated, but certainly not in terms of safety: both active and passive. Yes, technical complexity and rich equipment modern cars makes any body repair many times more expensive than even ten years ago. But today the chance that after the accident there will be someone to do the restoration at all is incommensurably higher. At this rate, there will soon be no casualties in road accidents at all. Can't believe it? Here are the facts backed up by visual videos.
To evaluate the safety of cars, nothing better than crash tests has yet been invented. Every year they become more and more realistic. Including for skeptics who prefer not to count the "stars", various organizations in the field of security sometimes conduct demonstrative crash tests from the "before and after" series. That is, they break a new one head-on and old cars. Naturally comparable in class.
Toyota Corolla: yesterday and today
So, just the other day, the Australian agency ANCAP decided to hit each other with two Toyota Corolla- 1998 and 2015 release. Frontal collision at a speed of 64 km / h - everything is like with a barrier. There are no airbags in a 20-year-old car, but in a brand new car there are as many as seven. But it's really not even worth paying attention to. On the video and without comments from experts, it is clear that the driver of the "old woman" had no chance of surviving. Fresh "Corolla" literally "flashed" the interior of the "ancestor". Although the test was "out of standings", the Australian experts still placed the scores. The car of 1998 received 0.4 points out of 16, and 2015 - 12.93.
The goal of the “fight” was to visually reinforce the statistics – according to ANCAP, in Australia, deaths in cars older than 2000 are four times higher than in cars younger than 2011.
Chevrolet Bel Air vs. Chevrolet Malibu
Not impressed? Here is another similar crash test. Only this time, two completely distant releases of the car took part in it. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the IIHS (American Insurance Institute road safety) crashed a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air and Chevrolet Malibu 2009. Oldtimer is longer, heavier and generally gives the impression of more strong car. No matter how! At that time, engineers cared little about the safest deformation of the body and units. And therefore, despite the equally deplorable appearance sedans, the Bel Air dummy suffered much more. Well, how it hurt ... The steering column and other protruding interior elements simply "kill" the driver of a vintage car.
Rover 100 vs Honda Jazz
The most authoritative European security organization - Euro NCAP- This year, also on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, it was also marked by a kind of anthem of progress. The committee issued comparison video two crash tests: a 1997 Rover 100 and a 2017 Honda Jazz.
Needless to say, with a frontal impact on the barrier, a modern japanese car secure the driver and passengers. But the elderly "British" ... In general, no comment.
Nissan: Tsuru vs Versa
Another informative crash test and again from the IIHS. Last year, the Americans decided to draw the attention of automakers to the fact that it is time to get rid of the remnants of the past in all markets, and not try to cash in on old models in poor countries.
So two nissan sedan: Tsuru and Versa. The first is nothing more than a converted Sentra from the 90s. It is still sold in Mexico as new car. The second is the most budget car stamps on American market but modern. The impact occurred at a wild speed of 129 km / h with a 50 percent overlap. As a result, in the Tsuru half of the car was literally soft-bodied up to the middle pillar, while in the Versa the driver and passengers survived.
Renault Modus vs Volvo 940
Various variations on the theme of "new versus old" in last years there were many. In 2008, British journalists from the Fifth Gear TV show scheduled a head-on “meeting” at the test site of a fresh Renault Modus compact van and an ancient wagon Volvo 940 from the early 90s. It seemed that the Swedes have always been leaders in the field of security, and the result could be deplorable for the modern Frenchman at that time. But no matter how! Reinforced struts and a high-strength steel body at Renault have done their job. Yes, the Volvo passenger did not die, but he received severe leg injuries due to the deformation of the front panel. But in the compact van, no one was hurt. Maximum scratches.
Many more similar comparative crash tests can be cited as an example, but, I think, this “tin” is already enough for correct conclusions. No matter how you deservedly scolded modern cars for weak resource, low reliability or abstract "spirituality", the fact remains that every year they become safer.
Here are the facts from the unclassified materials: accidents still happen and road deaths are high, as if we are still traveling by troughs of the VAZ-2107 system. Even in Europe, with all the numerous and costly security measures traffic, from stricter requirements for cars to polished infrastructure, it is not possible to radically reduce the number of accidents. Moreover, according to a report by the European Council on transport security dated March 31, 2016, the decline in road deaths has slowed down significantly in recent years, and in 2015 it even increased.
Why? First, the cars, albeit sheathed around the perimeter with airbags, have become too complicated. So much so that people generally do not understand them, and this can be seen even from the outside. There, Lexus drove with the headlights off, because the driver forgot to put the light selector in auto mode, stares at the dashboard, which is burning both day and night, and does not even suspect that he is driving in the dark without light. Him, like owners of Mercedes-Benz, BMW or range rover, manufacturers offer to independently deal with the detailed parameters of the operation of the gas pedal and the engine, the stiffness of the shock absorbers, the sharpness of the steering, the severity of the stabilization system and even the breaths of climate control. At least one of the owners of the new Mercedes, without outside prompts, Internet forums and instructions, was able to understand the difference between the climate control modes under the names Diffuse, Medium and Focus? But the Germans stopped even putting manuals in the glove compartment so that you could take them to read at your leisure in the restroom: now they are wired into the multimedia menu in the form of complex anime and diagrams, which you also need to figure out first! But even then, until you start moving, at speed the “book” is turned off for the sake of safety. But what does it actually lead to? Any normal person is furious and has a desire not to obey the system, but to continue “hacking”, distracting from the traffic.
In October 2014, the American Consumers Union published the results of another study: the vast majority of car owners who overpay when buying a car for cool bells and whistles do not use them even by 20%. Many are not even aware of the possibilities multimedia systems and driving assistants.
We don’t guess about the chips, but we get a bunch of reasons to be distracted from the road in the most everyday trip. And this is the second reason for persistent accidents. Take the interior of any modern car: than more expensive car and the more options it has, the more it looks like the cockpit of a passenger plane. The only difference is that pilots have been trained for years to respond to every warning. electronic systems safety, and drivers who do not always manage even to turn on the turn signal are lost in an environment of flashing lights, beeping sensors, text warnings and beautiful virtual multimedia systems.
Not at all the stress scourge of the 21st century, but multimedia touch monitors in Nissan Almera And touch everything V Tesla Model S. Even in a quiet environment in the parking lot, it is not always easy to set up the radio, especially if there are no normal buttons left on the center console at all, and you can only use the built-in tablet or incomprehensible, also touch-sensitive levers and touchpads. And already in motion... By the way, in the cockpits of the same aircraft, ordinary physical keys and toggle switches are still used, as psychologists say: a person does not perceive the touch control of systems, especially by touch. Looking for a track at a speed of 70 km / h is not for you to wallow on the couch with a smartphone.
Okay, multimedia - and if most of the car's functions are hidden in touch panels? There are many of these now! Even the temperature on the go can not be added without looking away from the road - in the Lexus IS, for example, you have to run your finger along the sensor strip. And then you still have to be distracted by navigation with traffic jams, answer SMS, turn off the heated steering wheel and seats. Here is a car in the next row moving slowly and confidently to the right, the driver's head lowered while his fingers fumble around the central display.
Many consumers who love mobile gadgets, dissatisfied a similar interface in cars - that's the disappointment that automakers have faced in the polls. Ford was one of the first to repent: back in 2013, after the release of the Explorer, where even the button was touch-sensitive alarm(!), the American company announced its intention to return some of the functions to ordinary keys, and just in updated Explorer they reappeared.
Sometimes, even without touch panels, dangerous “setups” happen due to automatic assistant systems: the lever is touched adaptive cruise control in Mercedes-Benz, accidentally when you turn on the wipers, and now the car set the speed limiter to 30 km / h. You will be stupid and even get into emergencies until you find the disable button.
Here, the driver, who is just entangled in his own music tracks and sophisticated comfort systems, should be saved by assistants who modern cars no worse than spaceships. Themselves taxiing away from the marking line, pressing the brake pedal when a KAMAZ appears in front and noticing road signs. They help, but sometimes they do it very stupidly: in Acura MDX cruise control works only with the distances set to the cars in front, so in the equal rhythm of our chess players, the crossover slows down quite sharply (and therefore dangerously) all the time. And active steering in a turn can scare even an experienced street racer.
And driver assistance systems bombard the poor fellow with a billion warnings, to which the brain, due to inevitable adaptation, stops responding. Burned the monitoring sensor dead zones, a dangerous proximity signal flashed, an alarm squeaked about the end of the washer or the approach of the camera - all this is equally important for the car, so it constantly panics and displays rapidly changing prompts on the dashboard screen, try to follow. At least enter voice alerts- out in the movies for a long time so. In the meantime, automakers are only working on voice commands, trying to defeat touchscreens at least this way, but not on warnings.
The security systems themselves have side effects. Of course, they help to feel in snow storms on the Third Ring Road or in sharp turn more confident than on the antediluvian Volga, but Einstein did not cancel the laws of physics. resistance to high speed works up to a certain limit, 190 km / h only seem to be smooth and safe on some Audi - no airbags will save you in an accident at such a speed. The later the limit of possibilities comes, the less fear and the more terrible the consequences.
Apparently, they tried to say about something similar the other day in Rosavtodor, which caused a hellish bathert: accident rate is growing because of... good roads. Like, on highways with high-quality coverage, drivers often violate speed mode and they go into the oncoming lane, that is, they relax and allow themselves more, which is why they fight.
Yes, at modern driver less likely to fly off the icy road into a ditch or smash your head on a counter and break your chest on steering column in an accident. Motorists began to fight and die for other reasons. It’s time for the traffic police to include new points in the accident analytics: due to correspondence in Viber, setting the concert sound of Valeria’s fresh hit, recklessness at the limit of the stabilization system or a frightening signal about a drop in temperature overboard to +4 degrees.
You never know what chance will prompt you to new thoughts. This time, my friend's illness was an accident. When I visited him in the hospital, he complained to me for a long time that he began to get sick more often, his body was failing him, and earlier he could even go barefoot to meet New Year to Red Square and not even sneeze. He became less reliable.
Recently, I have been hearing more and more phrases from people around me, the meaning of which boils down to the fact that the grass used to be greener. Never liked this phrase. I believe that it is used by people who cannot enjoy the present, but live on past idealized memories. But what annoys me the most is when people talk like that about cars.
Thousands of Internet specialists shout at every turn that modern cars are unreliable, and manufacturers break their own cars so that you buy their parts and fill their wallets with gold. Worldwide conspiracy of automakers: sell you a car and force you to buy parts. Pure paranoia. It so happened that we do not trust anyone, we are always waiting for a dirty trick, and those who are richer than us are necessarily deceivers and thieves. Funny? Yes, for me. Dispelling such claims is easy, which I will do, with your permission.
Once, at a major auto forum, I came across a discussion about the need for car maintenance. Dozens of people shouted that it was pointless to conduct maintenance, because it was just extortion. The arguments were excellent. The dirtier the filter, the better it filters. Change oil? Why, if you can just top up when the level drops. Replace pads and discs? Not worth it if the car slows down and on old parts. The last time I laughed like that at the hosts of the famous TV program Top Gear.
The saddest thing is that then such people complain about their car, because it began to drive slowly, consumption increased, and it smells of burnt dust from the stove. And so one of the myths about the unreliability of cars appears.
Another example is the experience of communicating with clients (the author of the article is an employee of one of dealer services Mercedes-Benz, - approx. ed.). Let me tell you one case from my practice. Once, a client told me about the unreliability of the front axle on the Gelendevagen. I was more surprised by this statement than by the victory of a woman with a beard in a prestigious music competition. But the unreliability of the bridge turned out to be as delusional as the bearded man in the guise of a woman. Cutting through the winter fields of our vast Motherland, my client managed to crash into a snow-covered stump at a decent speed. He was extremely angry because front axle looked like a banana. As you understand, this "unreliability" is caused only by the incompetence of the car owner.
The third "pillar" of my defense against modern cars is that reliability is a loose concept, and everyone understands it in their own way. For some, a click in the cabin at a speed of 200 km / h is a malfunction, but for someone a fallen muffler is the norm. My friend believes that a malfunction is something that cannot be fixed on the track.
These were just three main reasons for the emergence of the myth of insecurity modern machines but in reality there are many more. Car services have been around for as long as cars themselves, which means that cars have always broken down. Until now, there are people who are surprised by the place of my work, because Mercedes, according to general opinion, super reliable.
Unfortunately, everything breaks down in our world, especially cars. Can you name me a thing that will never break? Even an ordinary knife becomes dull over the years, and its handle can fall off. What could be easier than a knife? You can object to me that you still have a thirty-year-old Soviet knife that you inherited from your grandfather at home. But I have a different story: my wife, who is "in position", managed to break an expensive, seemingly eternal German knife, which frankly frightened me. Now I try to stay away from the kitchen.
Have you ever noticed that the same thing can serve one owner for years, and another will break it in a day? It all depends on the relationship of a person to things. My wise father used to say that every mechanism has a certain amount of use built into it. It depends only on our attitude how long the mechanism will live.
People also break down - health fails a person more than once in his life. Every person dies sometime. It turns out ... a disposable person? But you don't get rid of your wife if she often has a headache, do you? So why then do we complain about the car when it has a malfunction? It would seem that comparing living people with cars is reckless, but I was taught at the university that electrical diagnosticians live in their own world. Therefore, I talk to machines and consider them alive, so this comparison is logical for me.
Yes, and try to ask yourself the question: do you really need reliability? You run to the store for a new phone model, although the old one works properly, you change clothes because you are tired of it and you are unlikely to be upset by a broken knife. I understand your indignation, because the car is many times more expensive, but why does the manufacturer need to make the car reliable when it comes out in two years new model and most people will run to fill the pockets of dealers?
It's time to open your eyes, we no longer live in the Soviet Union - the time has passed when one car was for life. Life and people change, cars change. Cars have become more complex, there are more devices, the chances of a breakdown are higher. We no longer want a gluttonous carburetor, we need a turbocharged injector and a bunch of electronics to ensure comfort. Society demands something new, and fashion dictates its own rules. Disposable items are everywhere. Disposable tableware, clothes, razors and even food. There is nothing wrong with that, this is how our world is built.
I waited a long time for my friend to get better. And you know what? He recovered and remained the same reliable partner for me. Likewise with the car. Now think: Are you reliable yourself?
An article about the 10 most technologically advanced cars in the world. Their interesting features and characteristics. At the end of the article - a video about a trip around Russia on the most high-tech car!
The content of the article:
A modern car has long ceased to be just a means of transportation. Each manufacturer is trying to surprise customers with something, so it equips its cars with high-tech options and functions that provide convenience and safety of movement.
Modern cars, without exaggeration, can be called a computer on wheels. Moreover, technology is developing at a tremendous speed and becoming more perfect. What seemed impossible yesterday has become commonplace today. Therefore, automakers constantly have to come up with something new to meet new realities.
Rating of the most high-tech cars in the world
It is difficult to say which machines are the most technologically advanced, and even more difficult to arrange them in a certain order. After all, those features that seem innovative and convenient to some drivers will seem useless to others. Therefore, the formation of any rating is a rather subjective exercise. But still we will try.
This car will appeal to those who want to get a harmonious combination unsurpassed style and high technologies.
Lovers of good sound will enjoy the built-in speaker system Bang & Olufsen, which is customized for each car. The sound quality is truly breathtaking - 14 speakers connected to a 505 watt amplifier produce mesmerizing surround sound.
The car has a built-in Audi phone with a Bluetooth-online interface. This device has a user-friendly screen that allows the driver to view the call list, phone book and select the necessary options.
Of course, it is worth noting the high-tech 3.0 TFSI V6 engine. The acceleration will impress any driver. Motor power - 333 "horses". An innovative turbocharger is used, which is equipped with mechanical drive as well as an intercooler. This allows the car to demonstrate huge power with low fuel consumption.
The first thing in this car should be noted LED daytime lights that create unique image. However, they are installed not only for beauty. The headlights of this car are equipped with an intelligent road lighting system. With its help, the headlight modules can be rotated when the car enters a turn, and this significantly improves the illumination of the track at night.
A camera is installed in the rear-view mirror that monitors the level of illumination in front of the car (taking into account the headlights of oncoming cars), automatically turning on and off the high beam.
It is also important to note the Lexus security system. The car is equipped with many security systems (active and passive) that reduce the severity of the consequences after accidents. Also installed in the car innovation system driver assistance, which will reliably protect all passengers.
But that's not all. The driver will be able to easily cope with any arising traffic situation thanks to the work of the vehicle dynamics control system and the blind spot monitoring system, which warns of all road users in the adjacent lane.
Nobody likes being stuck in traffic jams. But Honda owner Odyssey is not in danger. After all, this car is equipped with an optional satellite navigation system with voice identification, which will not only suggest the most optimal route of movement, but also report traffic jams in major cities.
Also Honda Odyssey equipped with a HandsFreeLink Bluetooth system that allows you to talk on the phone without touching it. Thus, the driver is not distracted from the road.
Odyssey has a USB audio interface that allows you to connect music from a USB flash drive or phone via a USB cable. You can control the volume using voice commands.
The car's video system has an HDMI port, which allows you to connect any video device. The video will be displayed on the 16.2 inch display.
Manufacturers believe that their development in the future may become the highest technological car. But so far this is not the case.
Although it should be noted that new Audi A4 is stuffed with various high-tech "bells and whistles". This car has a night vision system, excellent projection display, "smart" cruise control, Internet access, automatic braking system.
At the same time, the car can drive on only two cylinders, while spending a minimum of fuel. latest motor 1.4 liter is equipped with an innovative system that can turn off two of the four cylinders at low and medium speeds. At quiet ride 70% of the trip the car will drive with the cylinders deactivated. And this will significantly reduce fuel consumption.
This american SUV familiar to many motorists, however, after the modernization, he received many exclusive trim elements and a high-tech trailer.
The car received a ventilated hood, special engine protection, a modified false radiator grille. The concept crossover has a raised suspension and unique 16-inch wheel disks made from light alloys.
But definitely main feature of this SUV, for which he got into this TOP, was the trailer.
This is a kind of highlight of the SUV. The trailer is equipped with the innovative Connect Live system with a massive touch screen. This advanced system provides high-speed network access, Wi-Fi hotspot, and social media access.
This high-tech vehicle incorporates all the best technical solutions concern Infiniti.
New Infiniti version Q50 has European appearance. All Asian lines have disappeared, the body looks more aggressive, since a complex-shaped bumper and a large radiator grille are installed. Head optics equipped with bi-xenon. The headlights work intelligent system switching light modes.
The front seats are provided with electric drive. The driver can adjust in 8 positions. The car is equipped with a multifunctional steering wheel, which displays the controls for the multimedia system, transmission, climate control. The driver can change the position of the steering wheel while driving.
A screen is installed on the dashboard on-board computer, and on the center console - 2 touch screens that allow you to control absolutely all machine systems.
The Infiniti Q50 is equipped with a 298-horsepower hybrid engine that includes a naturally aspirated Gas engine and a 50-watt electric motor. Paired with them is a seven-speed automatic transmission.
To enhance the attractiveness of the facelifted Mustang, the company Ford motor Co. Equipped with new technologies.
The model has a rear-view camera, push-button engine start, a cross-traffic alert system that informs the driver that there is a possibility of a collision with other moving vehicles when parking, a forward collision alert system, and adaptive cruise control.
But that's not all. For the first time, the driver will be able to evaluate the pressure in all tires directly on the dashboard, as well as switch between different regimes driving (4 of them). This will allow you to choose optimal mode movement in various conditions.
In addition, the Mustang is the first Ford vehicle to receive the innovative AppLink smartphone connectivity system.
All technologies in Mustang are focused on the convenience, comfort and safety of the car owner. For example, the Track Apps system collects information on the performance of the machine and presents it in the metric system. This system shows the driver how the car is behaving and tells when the performance of the car is reduced or increased.
If the above cars were simply equipped with various technological “bells and whistles”, then the top three should include cars that in the future should replace the usual cars with gasoline and diesel engines. The leaders of this rating run on environmentally friendly fuel, so they do not pollute environment. This is a new round in the automotive industry, so these machines can be called the most high-tech.
Third place goes to the first serial hydrogen sedan Mirai FCV. This vehicle is equipped hybrid plant on hydrogen, which is called the FC stack. When hydrogen reacts with oxygen, electrical energy is generated. All reactions in this machine occur without combustion.
Wherein maximum efficiency is 83%, which is unimaginable. Thus, steam comes out of the pipe, and not carbon monoxide. This is truly admirable.
By the way, Mirai is translated from Japanese as "clear future". The Japanese are convinced that such cars will be in demand in the near future.
Motor power - 153 hp A car without refueling will be able to drive 485 km. Refueling the fuel tanks with hydrogen will take only five minutes.
In addition, the vehicle is equipped with an innovative PTO power take-off system, which allows the machine to be used as charging station for your home. Such a car costs 57.5 thousand dollars.
Google has long been working on creating a car that could drive without human intervention. And the first prototype of such a machine was successfully tested.
There are no traditional controls (steering wheel and pedals) in this car. The car has only a button to start and stop the engine. The car moves with the help of a 64-beam laser rangefinder, which is installed on the roof - it generates a three-dimensional map of the entire area. Then the electronics compares the received pictures with the views loaded into the car's memory. Thus, the machine is oriented in space, avoiding all obstacles.
True, the speed of the car is limited to 40 km / h. Cars undergo rigorous testing, although the developers are confident that they have created the most technologically advanced vehicle.
However, unmanned vehicles did not become the leader of our TOP, since there are many questions about such prototypes. It is not yet clear how Google will legally issue a car without a steering wheel, because even if a person wants to do something (for example, prevent an accident), he does not have such an option. Who will be responsible in the event of an accident - the Google programmers who wrote the code, or the owner of the car? So far there are many questions.
This electric car was recognized as the most technologically advanced car. 5 door hatchback has leather interior, unique wheels and optics, refined features of Maserati and Jaguar. Adjustable sunroof allows you to change the intensity of blowing.
The car was used the most Hi-tech. Dashboard has two displays. One screen shows detailed information on the state of the machine in motion, including data from the ammeter. The second screen is for adjusting the vehicle's electronic systems. This is a kind of independent mini-tablet.
Three options for assembling a machine with different batteries are available to consumers. In general, the car can travel 450 km without recharging. Wherein maximum speed- 190 km / h, and engine power - 416 "horses".
When braking the car, the energy recovery system allows you to use the motor as a generator. Adjustable clearance and an innovative stabilization system allows you to move smoothly, without jerks and unpleasant sounds. The electric car is equipped with a single-speed automatic transmission.
You can charge an electric car at home from the mains (takes 15 hours), from charger(up to 8 hours) or at a specialized station (20 minutes).
Here are some other interesting "chips":
- A radio module is mounted inside the ignition key, which extends door handles when the driver approaches;
- Update software possible via wireless wi-fi;
- In the event of an accident, the battery control systems are immediately disconnected;
- Installed navigation maps from Google and navigation system promptly inform the driver about traffic jams;
- The newest climate package allows the battery to work both in severe cold (-25°С) and in hot weather (+50°С).
Results
Most likely, in 5-10 years the options are higher listed cars no one will be surprised. After all, progress does not stand still, and more technologically advanced technologies appear every year. vehicles. But for now, these machines are admirable.
Video about the ride on the Tesla Model S from Moscow to Minsk:
