The Evolution of Car Safety Features

Car safety has come a long way since the "father of the automobile industry", Karl Benz, engineered the first motorised vehicle in 1886. Our standards in the 21st are more keen on keeping drivers as safe on the road as possible, as well as focusing on sustainability. In doing so, more safety features than ever are being introduced to our cars - but, how far have we come?

From the very first motors to the self-driving cars of today, there’s been a transformation in the way we travel. Here, we take a look back at some of the major milestones in the evolution of vehicle safety, and look ahead to what we can expect from our cars in the future.

Early 20th century: A slow start

For the early 20th century of the automotive industry, it would be safe to say that their priority was not the innovation of safety features. The introduction of motorised vehicles was impressive enough and engineers were more focused on design and function, with a need for speed over safety. Unfortunately for the first drivers to hit the roads, there were no seatbelts and no crumple zones to maintain passenger wellbeing when accidents occurred. 

Whilst laughable nowadays, the first traffic laws emerged in the late 19th century and the first speed limit was imposed in 1895 at just 2mph, with drivers required to have a flag bearer in front of the vehicle to alert pedestrians. Just eight years later in 1903, the speed limit was increased to 20 mph, but many drivers exceeded this, and - as the popularity in driving increased - so did accidents. 

It’s from here that the early stages of safety features developed, with many still in use today on modern vehicles: 

• 1903: Mary Anderson patented hand-operated wiper blades that were designed to improve visibility.
• 1911: Ray Harroun is credited with experimenting with a rearview mirror during the Indianapolis 500. Because he didn’t have a riding mechanic, he had complaints of having an advantage over other drivers, so he mounted a mirror on the cowl of his car.
• 1914: The actress Florence Lawrence invented primitive turning indicators. 
• 1915: The first recorded glove compartment was installed in a Pierce-Arrow; though, this wouldn’t become a mainstream feature until the 1950s-60s.
  
• 1921: Saw the introduction of headrests by Benjamin Katz to reduce the risks of whiplash injuries.  It also saw the development of hydraulic brakes in cars, as used for the first time by Frederick Duesenberg. 
• 1934: Laminated glass was first used for car windows, it then became mandatory for all new cars being produced in 1937.

Mid-century safety: The birth of modern safety features

Safety standards really started to advance from the 1950s onwards. In 1951, German engineer Walter Linderer created the airbag, while the following year Béla Barenyi came up with the crumple zone concept, which is a structural feature intended to absorb the force of a collision. 

Perhaps the most significant development in car safety came in 1958, when Volvo introduced a three-point seatbelt designed by Nils Bohlin. To this day, it’s widely recognised as one of the most effective vehicle safety features invented in the history of the industry.

Changes to the law

Safety rules started to ramp up from the 1960s, leading to big improvements in accident and injury prevention. In 1963, the Excelsior Motor Company introduced the inertia-reel seatbelt, and the same year intermittent wipers were introduced. 

The lawyer Ralph Nader wrote a very powerful book in 1965 called Unsafe at Any Speed. The book sparked major safety reforms for the automotive industry, including in America, the National Traffic Motor Vehicle Safety Act which established safety standards for automobiles and enforcements for such rules. Features such as shoulder-lep belts, collapsible steering columns, and shatterproof windshields can be linked to Nader’s book. 

By 1966, it was mandatory for all cars made in Europe to be fitted with a front seat belt, and padded dashboards, as well as reversing lights and front and rear lap belts becoming compulsory.

In 1979, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the US began crash testing new cars and publishing its results. By 1983, it was compulsory to wear front seatbelts in the UK, while four years later the fitting of rear seat belts in cars became mandatory.

Major improvements in technology

The 1990s saw the establishment of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) and a host of new electronic systems being fitted to cars to enhance safety. For example, Bosch and Mercedes-Benz introduced electronic stability control, while Mercedes-Benz began incorporating Brake Assist Systems into its vehicles. This is what helps prevent skidding and loss of control, especially in icy or wet conditions. There would also be more electronic innovations that would assist braking and control, such as a traction control and automatic braking. 

Throughout the 90s, there was a widespread airbag deployment making them a standard. For example, in 1994, Volvo introduced side impact air bags which looked to reduce the impact on heads and necks in collisions. Crumple zones would also improve to further help reduce impact to passengers and let the vehicle take the impact instead. 

Car safety features in the 2000s

The new millennia inspired more safety features in cars. Safety features such as advanced braking systems, cruise control, and tyre pressure monitoring systems were becoming mandated to help drivers. 

• 2000: The Lane Departure Warning System was developed by Iteris for use in trucks in Europe. The system relies on vibration, visual and audible warnings to make the driver aware if they are leaving their lane.
• 2004: Volvo introduced a blind spot information system that uses motion sensors and cameras to help motorists avoid collisions when moving lanes or parking.
• 2008: Volvo developed autonomous emergency braking for its XC60. The system automatically brakes to avoid collisions when sensors detect an oncoming vehicle.
• 2009: Bosch and Citroën introduced the intelligent anti-skid system Snowmotion, which is designed to give drivers better control of their vehicles in icy and snowy conditions.
• 2010: Volvo introduced the pedestrian detection system, which applies brakes automatically when a pedestrian is detected in the path of the car. It relies on radar and camera technology.

Recent and future safety features of cars

We’re not quite on level with our predicted path of flying cars; however, innovations for car safety are testing the bounds of engineering daily. In the past decade, innovations towards advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) which will aid safety on lane departure warnings, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Cars can now connect to communicate to prevent accidents blind spot monitoring and rear-view cameras enhancing visibility to drivers. 

When it comes to car safety, all eyes are now on the driverless vehicle technology being developed by a whole range of manufacturers. Forecast to arrive on UK roads within the next 10 to 15 years, there are many improvements that need to be made before this technology can be rolled out on a large scale. Once this does happen, it’s likely to have a huge impact on road safety. If successful, it could dramatically cut accident rates by removing the risk of human error.

Evolve your safety with Kwik Fit

While major advances have undoubtedly been made in car safety and more are set to come, motorists can’t rely solely on technology to keep them safe behind the wheel. 

Major causes of avoidable accidents and injuries include drink driving, driving while tired, using mobile phones behind the wheel, and failing to wear seatbelts. Not conducting basic vehicle safety checks can also put people at risk when they’re on the roads, that’s why you can always get help and advice at your local Kwik Fit. 

Contact us today if your tyres have seen better days or you believe there to be something wrong with your brakes- we check them for free! Make sure you check out our blog for more information and guides so you can always be prepared.