Safety

What are advanced safety features and how can they help protect your family?

What do you look for in a car when buying one for the family? It's not like before children (shall we call that BC?) when all you wanted was two seats and a roof that goes down.No, these days, your desires are much more practical. Well, your priorities are anyway. Here's the checklist while you're car shopping to make sure all your prerequisites are ticked off before you buy. For you in the front just as much as the kids need it in the back. Look out for leg space both in the driver and the passenger seat, and check the leg space on the passenger side while there is a baby capsule in the back seat (if that is the family stage you're up to). Rear facing capsules are big, and you'd be surprised how much the front passenger will have to compromise on leg space, so if there's not enough room and you're tall, you're in trouble.Space in the rear is important if you've got growing teenagers with long legs that need to sit behind you, too. "I think the boot is too big," said no parent ever. You won't know the joy of a big boot until you regularly drive a car with one, and then have it taken away from you. Fitting things easily into the boot and not feeling like it's a giant jigsaw puzzle every time is joyful. So you can fit prams, groceries, school bags, bikes, sporting equipment, picnic baskets, blankets, towels, beach bags, boogie boards... need I go on?Because it's 2019 and we all deserve to live like it is. Good technology today means Apple CarPlay or Android Auto which essentially sync your phone with the multimedia screen instantly connect your phone's main apps to the touchscreen just by plugging it into the USB point. It's not hard, you don't have to learn it, and you can easily navigate via the maps app or stream music via Spotify. You can also make calls and send texts by using voice control in some cars like the Subaru Outback pictured here. To me, good storage maketh a good car drive, especially when you treat your car like your living room, which is often the case. So you want a spot for your coffee/tea - cupholders are essential, you want a bottle holder in the door for hydration, and you want a spot to throw keys and a phone because they get lost easily otherwise. The centre storage bin can be useful to pop toys for the kids or iPads when they're not in use. The children also appreciate cupholders in the back.So this isn't an essential, sure, but it improves your drive dramatically. A leather-trimmed steering wheel especially feels really lovely under the hands and even if the rest of the car's interior is not up to scratch, if you're touching a leather steering wheel it won't matter.Dual-zone air conditioning is good, but even better is a functional design and easy access to the climate control that doesn't involve jumping through 10 different screens on the multimedia. There is something to be said for knobs and buttons that are within arms reach and just work when you move them, like on the Subaru Outback pictured here.Because kids get hot and if there's one thing I've learned since driving different cars on a weekly basis, it's that my children will notice when there are no air vents in the back, especially in summer.These are a must to fit children's car seats in safely, and most new cars will have both so you have the choice between an ISOFIX seat or just the top tether seats. Some cars top tether points can be on the roof, so just note where they are and if in a weird spot, see how that affects head space. I've been in cars where the kids' car seats involuntarily rolled inward, because they were at too much of an angle, so it's always good to check these things and also check the comfort level of the front seats because once you have kids, you tend to go on long, arduous road trips and you start to notice when the seats are not up to standard. You can really tell the difference when you get into a car like the Subaru Outback and everything is super comfy.  

Jaguar Land Rover has recalled examples of its Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque, Velar and Sport range sold between 2016 and 2018, while Volkswagen has recalled Golfs, Passats and Transporters sold in 2003.

Toyota Australia has confirmed it will offer a suite of advanced safety equipment “in the next update” of the country’s most popular vehicle, the HiLux. It is expected the Toyota HiLux 2020 model year updated will see the addition of the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) suite of technology, including the long-awaited addition of auto emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and auto high-beam headlights.As we've previously reported, the tech is set to be included in models produced from May 2019, meaning it will likely roll out on 2020 model year versions, due to arrive in showrooms from July or August.A Toyota representative told CarsGuide that while timing is not yet ready to be announced for the rollout of the updated HiLux, it will be introduced “soon”. Some versions of the tech also include road sign detection and warning, not to mention more advanced AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection as part of the forward collision alert with auto-braking system.The tech would help get the HiLux closer to level footing against the Ford Ranger, Mercedes X-Class, SsangYong Musso and Mitsubishi Triton - all of which have had high-tech safety gear rollouts in recent times.Toyota offers the Safety Sense suite of tech on everything from the Yaris to the HiAce, and the HiLux is one of the last models to see the tech rolled out. An imminent addition to the HiLux-based Fortuner seems likely as well, leaving just the Land Cruiser 70 Series range as the only model to be left completely out of the loop. It is unclear if the tech pack will be offered as standard, or as an option, on the HiLux range. Toyota has a mixed approach in this regard, with Safety Sense being optional on some models (certain grades of Yaris and Corolla sedan), and standard-fit on other grades. There are certain models that still miss out on TSS, such as lower grade LandCruiser 200 Series models and manual Prado variants. 

Mercedes has pulled back the curtain on the future of vehicle safety, unveiling its new ESF 2019 concept in Germany.Based on the brand's GLC SUV, the ESF adds just about every key piece of safety technology currently being studied by the brand.

I used to love the sensation of going fast. Rollercoasters and race tracks, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road on the back of a motorcycle. It was all such as fabulous thrill – until I had kids that is.One minute, you are hurtling down the straight on the Portimao Circuit, and the next your tummy can barely handle 80km/h around a corner on the way home from Woolies.Becoming a parent changes more than just your physical ability to handle racing speeds, as it did in my case, it also changes your perspective on driving.Whether it is a conscious decision or not, having precious cargo in the back seat is a reason to exercise a bit more caution, to be more patient and even more generous of spirit on the roads.Unfortunately, it doesn't change the behaviour of that reckless P-plater weaving in and out of traffic at speed, making crazy decisions that put other motorists at risk.Defensive driving techniques, whether you are new to driving or a seasoned hand, are always a good idea which is why we jumped at an invitation from Audi to attend their Women's Driving Experience Day at the Mt Cotton racetrack.While the opportunity to drive their top performance models around a track all day was the perfect lure, the promise of enhancing individual driving skills and exploring the capability of active and passive safety systems rounded off the package nicely.Audi's driving experience days are open to present and future customers, actually, anyone really, who wants to be a better driver and have fun learning to do it.Led by successful racer and motoring commentator Steve Pizzati, the team consists of the cream of Australian motorsport including Luke Youlden, Nathan Pretty, Daniel Garnett, Melinda Price and Chris Pither. The women-only drive days, now in their second year, have been a phenomenal success."Some women tend to learn better and have a better overall experience on female-only days," says Pizzati, "mostly because they feel it less overwhelming. We are able to arm them with skills to allow them to feel safer on the roads and hopefully they have fun along the way."And they are taught by race drivers who in addition to being highly skilled are all passionate about driver safety, driver education, about improving people's skills on the road."They also get to do it at race tracks like this so they can learn skills at a faster speed. If you can do something at 150km/h, you will feel confident doing it at 110km/h, but of course they can do it at 60km/h if that's what they prefer."The skills on the half-day experience (a full-day version is available as well) included learning how to work with the car's advanced driver assistance systems, how to change lanes quickly to avoid an accident, how to effectively execute emergency stops in different weather and road conditions, make better use of the road and how to recover from inattention. Fast laps around the circuit were also the order of the day.Rapid improvements in technology in the past decade, and the last five years in particular, have resulted in exponential advancements in your vehicle's ability to not only enhance the driving experience but to also help keep you safer on the road than ever before.As a parent, features like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), reverse camera and sensors and blind-spot assist offer a comforting security blanket. But how many of us have learnt to use the technology and adjusted our driving styles accordingly to really take advantage of improvements?Take the Adaptive Cruise Control, for example, which uses special laser sensors to measure the distance to the vehicle ahead and then automatically control the set speed and maintain a constant distance to the vehicle ahead.Okay, so just between you and me, I am not generally a fan of cruise control. It requires giving up a little bit of control which I am not very good with and while I do use the feature during car tests I rarely do so willingly.Having to use Adaptive Cruise Control on an Audi RS5 Coupe, locked on to the race car driver in front, around tight corners didn't exactly spark joy but when in Mt Cotton…Once I damped down my demons, it was easier to appreciate the complexity of the system at work as well as the improvements made in the technology, too. Now, the radar spans a wider arc which means it can better account for cars that slip in front of you unexpectedly and detect open spaces in adjacent lanes if the car in front is turning."We will look back at this 10-year period as the transition from fully manual driving to the fully autonomous driving that is ahead, said Pizzati."This training is important because the tech is out there and if you don't understand what its capabilities are and more importantly what its limitations are, then you will lean on it at the wrong time and that won't turn out well. The few incidents with drivers in Teslas are proof of that."These systems are great but they are not completely doing everything for you so you need to learn how to work together with the car to get the best out of it so we can be safer and keep our families safe. That is what these days are about."Probably the most valuable lesson of the day for me, and I would hazard a guess for most parents, is how to take evasive action to prevent an accident or limit the damage.This is particularly relevant in situations where you become distracted, like when you are in traffic and the kids in the back need something for example, or when you are sneakily checking your phone (I hope you are not doing this), and you look up and car in front of you has stopped but you a still motoring along.The idea is to learn how to stop quickly and move into an open space on either side in the same motion."If there was one tip I would give any driver about defensive driving is, ‘Look Up'," said Pizzati. "I know that sounds unbelievably simple but at the heart of most problems is the fact that people are looking at the tail lights or bumper of the car in front. So, they use it as a cue to move or stop like rote learning, so if something goes wrong, your brain looks to the car in front of you for the cue to react."Looking up, over the roof of cars gives you the bigger picture, you see the problem earlier, so if something does go wrong you have more time to react and you would have spotted escape paths. Stop looking down, you should never know the number plate of the car in front of you."While many of us that are just trying to get our little people from day care or school to their activities and back home again, there are hundreds of thousands of Australian parents currently getting to grips with teaching their kids to drive.Why we subscribe to a system of letting parents, who may be poor drivers themselves, handing out bad driving advice to the next generation when driving is a skill that should be imparted by trained professionals, is probably a gripe for another time. But at the very least, says Pizzati, enroll your teen in a defensive driving course as soon as possible."Days like these are valuable for everybody but particularly for young drivers as you don't have 20 years of bad habits to break," he said."Apart from the fact that the tuition you get when learning to drive is inadequate, rudimentary at best, there is no retesting or retraining when you renew you licence every 10 years.Technology changes, road laws change and even thinking about driving changes, better ways to do things, that means whatever you did as a 17-year-old getting a licence will serve you for the next 70 years behind the wheel, which is not a good thing for anyone."Remember teenagers are used to being students, they take instruction and absorb the things we teach them without overthinking it. Whether they do a day with us or with other professionals doesn't matter, it is just vital that parents arm them with these skills."Audi is not the only manufacturer offering drive experience days, but they sure make it fun and the women's only day definitely had a more relaxed, supportive vibe.The team covers all the essentials from the correct driver seating set-up to slide control and oversteer practice, cornering practice and emergency braking with obstacle avoidance.And of course there is the opportunity of unrestricted track lapping – which is a super thrill even with your tummy in your mouth!See Audi Womens Driving Experience for more information.

BMW has revealed that its upcoming M8 Coupe and Convertible will feature a new driver mode display and control system that includes the ability to adjust braking characteristics on the fly.

My 2010 Holden Cruze sporadically shuts down whilst I’m driving. The engine stops, all lights go off, and the power steering goes off, and I have to pull over, put it in park and start again. I’ve had it since new and have it serviced as required. I see that another person has reported the same issue and posted a question about this recently. I’m worried that this may be a recall issue. Holden are yet to find the fault and have had it for a total of three days (over two visits). Am I able to request the contact details of the other person who posted about this issue, or at the very least obtain the outcome of the issue for them? I have a two-year-old daughter and I will not be driving the car until I know it is 100 per cent safe.

In a perfect world, like a perfectly dry road, tread actually reduces a car's performance because it has the effect of reducing the contact patch area, and the forces that can be transmitted through the contact patch are correspondingly reduced.But in a not-so-perfect world, on a wet road, the tread is vitally important.The tread is designed to disperse water from the contact patch, thereby helping the tyre grip the road.Without tread the tyre's ability to grip a wet road is severely limited, making it almost impossible to stop, turn, accelerate and corner.The contact patch is the area of the tyre that is actually in contact with the road.It's a small area, only about as big as the palm of your hand, through which the cornering, steering, braking, accelerating forces are transmitted.Tread wear indicator bars are moulded into the tread grooves at regular intervals around the tyre to indicate when a tyre is worn to its limit of safety.{C}{C}{C}The minimum legal tread depth is 1.5 mm across the width of the tread.When the tyre is worn to the legal limit the bars will be flush with the surface of the tread.While that is the legal requirement some car manufacturers recommend you replace your tyres before they wear to that extent.Check your owner's manual to find out what your car maker recommends.Maintaining the correct inflation pressure is one of the most important things you can do to look after your tyres.A correctly inflated tyre should wear evenly across the tread, but one that's incorrectly inflated will wear unevenly.An under-inflated tyre will wear more heavily on the outer shoulders, while an overinflated one will wear more in the centre of the tread.The inflation pressure should only be set when the tyre is cold. The pressure increases when the car is driven, so setting it after driving for some distance will result in an incorrect pressure.The recommended inflation pressure is shown on a placard attached to the body – usually on the driver's door pillar – and also in the owner's manual.Inflation pressures are given for normal driving, and also when loaded up with the maximum number people the car can legally carry and luggage.Tyres need to be checked regularly, at least once every two weeks.They should also be checked before you go on a long journey, or before towing, when they might need to be set higher.Remember to also check the spare.Rotating your tyres can also help to get the most out of them.Tyres wear at different rates depending on their position on the car. On a rear-wheel drive car the rear tyres wear faster than the front tyres; on a front-drive car it's the front tyres that wear the fastest.Rotating the tyres around the car can even out the wear on all tyres. That way they should all need replacement at the same time.If you do rotate your tyres do it regularly, at 5000km intervals, so the disparity between those that are wearing the fastest and those wearing the slowest is minimised.When rotating your tyres you can also include the spare.The spare is almost always forgotten, left to sit in the dark in the boot of our car until needed in an emergency.Spare tyres that are six years or older should only be used in an emergency.A tyre that is 10 years old should be replaced.Some mechanics and tyre men will tell you your tyres need replacing by simply looking at them and telling you they're worn.Don't take their word for it, check them yourself. Visually inspect them for wear and damage, and check the depth of the grooves.To maximise your tyre life avoid spinning the wheels on acceleration, or locking them when braking.Keeping your car in tip-top shape can help extend the life of your tyres and regular wheel alignment checks are a good idea.

Uber Australia has announced that all new vehicles signed up to its ride-share service from October this year will need to have a five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) – or equivalent.