Vehicle electronics specialist Robert Bosch propose the addition of a 6th star to the current NCAP vehicle safety rating system. This new star would rank a vehicle’s active crash avoidance systems, such as lane departure warning and predictive brake assist.
New Bosch research suggests two out of three drivers fail to hit the brakes with enough force just before a collision. The company claim this is because the overload of information and stimuli compete for mental resources, and slow down the decisionmaking process by a few vital milliseconds.
Bosch have developed predictive brake-assist technology that detects possible accidents and then activates the brakes. The technology monitors traffic around the vehicle continuously, and determines stopping distance. The technology in the vehicle’s computer also prepares the hydraulic brake for full-force braking when a crash is imminent.