Archive for the ‘Automobile Trends And Tech’ Category

Safety Technology Considerations During Glass Repair

Posted on: November 30th, 2021 by Accurate Auto Body Shop No Comments

auto glass repair Powerful new safety technologies are making our cars safer. Among the most effective safety technologies are forward collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB). Studies show that some of these technologies could reduce your risk of collisions by about 50-80%, depending on the exact combination you have and the manufacturer. That means a lot fewer collision repairs for you.

However, when repairs do have to happen, they can be more expensive, sometimes in surprising ways. If your car has advanced safety features, even something as simple as repairing rock damage to or replacing your car’s windshield requires skills and technology to ensure it’s done properly. Otherwise, safety features might not work in the future.

Why Glass Repair Must Take Safety Tech into Account

mechanics repairing a damaged windshield It might seem like there’s nothing special about the windshield. It’s just a clear piece of glass. However, it’s much more than that. The glass itself needs to be especially clear and free from distortions. Even small distortions that you might not notice can be important to the cameras that help the system make its calculations and decisions. The result could be false positives, where your car issues a warning or even brakes unnecessarily. In some situations, the car might not see some potential hazards, which can reduce the safety system’s effectiveness, and make you more likely to get into accidents.

In addition, once the glass has been replaced, the safety systems will have to be calibrated again. This makes sure that they are functioning properly in the new configuration. As with glass replacement, if you don’t do the proper adjustments after windshield repair or replacement, you might also experience problems that could potentially make the system ineffective. This may result in issues such as providing warnings or braking suddenly without warning.

These problems could also arise if you get rock damage repaired with techniques that might cause visual distortions in the glass.

Manufacturers warn that replacing your windshield glass with an unapproved replacement could void your warranty.

If you want to make sure your car safety features continue to work as designed, you must work with an auto body shop that understands the advanced safety features of your car.

Accurate Auto Body Is Your High-Tech Body Shop in Denver

At Accurate Auto Body, we understand that high-tech features demand high-tech collision repairs. We have been factory trained in Toyota repairs. We are also among the only 4% of garages that qualify as Honda Certified auto body repair shops. This not only requires Honda specific repair information, but a high-grade auto body shop and top-notch customer service that benefits all our customers. We have also achieved I-CAR Gold Class recognition, showing that we meet the high standards of training for this elite certification.

In addition, we utilize our Focus on You Service System™ to ensure that every customer gets not only the best repairs, but also has the best repair experience at our shop. We will treat you with respect as soon as you enter our welcoming shop. We take the time to listen to your needs and concerns, and always try to meet them. In addition, we offer you guaranteed pricing and completion dates. When you get an estimate, you will know when your car will be ready and how much repairs are going to cost. We work hard to complete your repairs as quickly as possible, but we never sacrifice quality for speed. We will fix your car right the first time. Plus, we can work with your insurance company so you don’t have to, making for the easiest, fastest repair experience possible – at a guaranteed price.

To get a free estimate on your car’s repairs in the Denver and Aurora area, please call 303-344-2212 or use our online form today.

 

Best Vehicle Safety Technology to Reduce Your Risk of an Accident

Posted on: July 22nd, 2021 by Accurate Auto Body Shop No Comments

At Accurate Auto Body, we are an auto body shop that cares. As much as we would love to fix your car in our shop, we would love it even more if you were able to avoid an accident. That’s why we talk a lot about the safety equipment that can help you avoid accidents so you don’t need auto body repair.

The safest vehicles of 2021 are some of the safest of all time, and have many advanced safety features. With so many advanced safety features these days, though, it’s hard to know which ones are really worth investing in. Here are the crash avoidance features recommended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Forward Collision Warning

Ideally, you will be watching the road and know if you’re at risk of hitting another vehicle. However, your attention might waver for one reason or another, and you need to be warned about possible accidents. A forward collision warning monitors your speed and the speed and distance of vehicles in front of you. If you’re too close, the system warns you so that you can take appropriate action.

This system can also keep you from inadvertently tailgating other cars. That’s good, because nothing will put you on the wrong side of an insurance claim than rear-ending a car because of careless driving.

Lane Departure Warning

vehicle safety features This system is looking from your car to find the lane markings on the road. It will then warn you if you start to drift out of your lane. This can help you avoid drifting into parallel or oncoming traffic. However, it doesn’t act to stop the problem, it just provides a warning, which might be a sound, an indicator on the dash, or both.

Automatic Emergency Braking

This type of system is similar to the forward collision warning in that it monitors your speed and the speed and distance between your car and those in front of you. Unlike forward collision warning, though, automatic emergency braking actually engages the brakes to stop the car, preventing an accident when you are about to have one.

This feature may include or be called “dynamic brake support.” Dynamic brake support might either engage the brake directly, or cause more brake power to be applied than you might apply manually.

What about Other Features?

What about other available safety features? Does this mean they’re not worth buying? Not necessarily. The NHTSA notes that all safety features can potentially help you avoid accidents, and it has good words about many of them. However, the above ones are those that have enough theoretical and practical support to justify NHTSA’s endorsement for now. In the future, it’s likely that more technologies will be recognized.

If You Did Have an Accident, Choose Accurate Auto Body

Sometimes, all the safety features in the world can’t protect you from an accident. If that’s the case, you need auto collision repair at a trusted auto body shop. Make Accurate Auto Body your choice.

Our mechanics are I-CAR Gold Class certified, with regular, ongoing training from Honda and Toyota on the best practices in auto repair. We are highly qualified to handle all the repairs on your vehicle. This includes repairing those advanced safety features, which might have components in the body that were damaged in even a minor crash.

In addition, we practice our Focus on You Service™ system. This means we give you a guaranteed quote and a guaranteed completion time. Plus, we educate you on all your options so you can make an educated choice on what repairs are necessary. We strive hard to fix your vehicle the first time, and we’ll work around your schedule.

Want to learn more about what sets Accurate Auto Body apart from other auto body shops in the Denver area? Please call 303-344-2212 or use our online form today for a free estimate.

 

Advanced Technology Systems and Collision Repair: What You Need to Know

Posted on: May 26th, 2021 by Accurate Auto Body Shop 2 Comments

advanced technology in a modern car The first cars were essentially wagons—boxes on wheels—with an engine doing the work of horses. These vehicles were dangerous, and the fatalities per vehicle mile were high. If we had the same level of fatalities per vehicle mile traveled in 2021 as in 1921, we would see about 780,000 people killed on the road. But thanks to safety technology, the actual figure is likely to be less than 40,000, nearly a 95% reduction.

However, this reduction in car fatalities comes at a price in advanced technology built into the car. This technology is delicate and can be damaged when your car is in an accident. There are several things to know about these advanced technologies when you take your car to get fixed after a collision.

Technology Is Distributed Throughout the Car

First, it’s important to understand that advanced technology in your car isn’t just located in a central computer. Cameras, RADAR, LiDAR, and more are located throughout the car. You can find it in bumpers, doors, wheel wells, and more, with dedicated sub-processors situated nearby to coordinate the systems needed to respond in an emergency. Some technology is either embedded in or attached to the windshield.

This means that what looks like a minor fender-bender could damage some of the advanced features on your car.

Repairing Technology Is Important

It’s also important to know that you should not neglect advanced technology when getting your car repaired after a collision. These systems matter, and they’re integrated. If you don’t repair all your advanced systems, the impact could be bigger than you think, and it might be unpredictable. Some systems, such as brakes, might not work properly if some of the advanced systems connected to them aren’t repaired properly.

Some repairs might also be required by your insurance company in order to continue coverage. This means that you should prioritize fixing these systems when take your car in for collision repair.

Not All Shops Can Make High-Tech Repairs

auto body shop repairing a vehicle with advanced technology It’s not easy for auto body shops to stay up-to-date when it comes to advanced technologies. Some shops are not capable of keeping pace with the growth of technology. Others may have decided to neglect advanced technology altogether. They focus on doing low-tech collision repair and might neglect the advanced systems or refer you to someplace else to get that part of the repair done.

When you’re choosing an auto body shop, ask them about their repair capabilities. Check to make sure they’ve been certified by auto manufacturers for advanced technology repairs, and make sure those certifications are current.

Advanced Technology Can Increase the Cost of Repairs

We mentioned above that advanced technology is the cost of reducing the risk of car accidents and fatalities. Ultimately, that translates into a cost in dollars when you buy a car – and when you repair a car. It can be expensive to repair the advanced technology in your car that’s been damaged by an accident.

The additional cost comes from many places:

  • Mechanics have to train to handle the advanced technology
  • High-tech repairs require high-tech tools
  • It takes time to diagnose the technology to determine what needs to be repaired
  • It takes time to replace delicate components
  • The components can be expensive to replace.

High-Tech Collision Repairs without Surprises

Accurate Auto Body is prepared to handle your high-tech repairs. We have iCar Gold Certification, with ongoing training to handle the most advanced systems. In addition, we have ongoing training from Honda and Toyota on their latest innovations.

At Accurate Auto Body, our Focus on You™ Service System means that we strive to eliminate surprises in your collision repair. We will give you a guaranteed estimate of both the time and money required to repair your car. We will also explain the estimate in a jargon-free way so you can understand what is being repaired and why, including advanced technology systems.

We will work around your schedule to make the repairs as convenient as possible, and we will work with your insurance company to make sure the true cost of repairs is covered according to the limits of your policy.

If you are looking for an auto body shop in Denver capable of high-tech repairs, please contact Accurate Auto Body today for a free quote.

Favorite Car Toys of 2019

Posted on: December 10th, 2019 by Accurate Auto Body Shop No Comments

car toys Whether you’re looking for something to get yourself or your favorite car fanatic for the holidays, knowing what’s “in” in the car toy world and what’s “out” can be difficult. Surprising a gearhead with something they haven’t seen before or didn’t know they needed can be even more difficult. That’s why we put together a list of some of our favorite (and most useful) car gadgets of 2019 to help you wow them (or pick a little something up for yourself – we won’t judge.)

Portable Humidifier

As your Denver auto body shop, we know it is dry here in the mile-high city, so having a little added humidity never hurts – especially in the winter. Luckily all you need is a USB plug-in these days to have a mini humidifier (and/or oil diffuser!) with you everywhere you go. Offer yourself a little moment of relaxation with some lavender essential oil and a warm air mist while you’re stuck in that rush hour traffic on I-25 or I-70. Or gift one to your favorite commuter. We could all use a little more serenity on our daily drive, right?

USB Mini Fridge

Yeah, you read that right. A mini-fridge big enough to hold six cans but light enough to be ported from the car to your favorite picnic destination, all powered easily by a USB charger. Don’t have a USB port in your vehicle? If you’re looking at the Cooluli Electric Mini-Fridge, you’ve got options. It can easily be powered by the cigarette lighter or your vehicle’s main, too. Oh, and did we mention it keeps things warm as well as cool? Those holiday potluck dishes will arrive at exactly the right temperature, no re-warm needed. If you snag this one BEFORE the holidays, we wouldn’t blame you.

Digital Tire Pressure Gauge

Gone are the days of having to use the old school tire pressure gauge and hoping you’re reading it right but never really being quite sure. With a digital tire pressure gauge, you can take the guesswork out of it. Never wonder if those tires that look just a little bit low need more air or not. During the winter in the Front Range when the temperature changes from mild to cold in the snap of a finger, it’s important to be able to check your tires quickly and accurately. Those quick changes in weather can impact the pressure in your tires – and when there’s snow on the roads, you especially don’t want to be caught driving on under-filled tires.

Back Seat Organizer

Okay, this one is on the practical side of things, but if you know a new mom or a family that has a nearly impossible time keeping their vehicle organized, or someone who’s driving their car for Lyft or Uber and wants to offer their riders a more luxurious experience, you can’t beat a back seat organizer. It’s the perfect place to hold all the kids’ toys or beverages, tissues, charging cables, and mints or candy. Whatever you need it for, there are a number of options with different pockets of different sizes that can help anyone organize their vehicle, no matter how messy it might have been before.

Alexa-Enabled Car Charger

Those voice-activated assistants are pretty much everywhere these days, so why should your car be any different? An Alexa-Enabled car charger plugs into the cigarette lighter in your vehicle and charges your devices while also offering the power of Alexa in your vehicle. Want to add something to your shopping list? Order a pizza to arrive by the time you get home? Play a game or find a fun, random fact? Check the weather your final destination? This car charger has you covered and then some. We wouldn’t recommend gifting this one to your friend who’s afraid robots are taking over the world, though.

Whatever you or your favorite car fanatic is looking for, there’s a gadget to make it happen. This list is really just the tip of the iceberg, but it’s a good starting point. What are you gifting your autophiles this year?

The Best Winter Luxury Features for Your Vehicle

Posted on: November 22nd, 2019 by Accurate Auto Body Shop No Comments

winter car features Winter is fast approaching, and when the cold weather hits we can’t help but take stock of all the glorious advancements in technology that have made winter driving less terrible over the years. If you’re looking to upgrade your vehicle or are shopping for a vehicle and are wondering what features are really worth shelling out extra money for, don’t forget to consider some of these! It’s easy to forget how valuable they are when you’re driving through a sunny, warm Colorado summer, but you’ll be grateful for the ones you have when we’re facing frost, snow, and icy-cold temperatures every day.

Remote Start

Ah, the ability to know that your vehicle will be warm when you get into it without having to go out there and start it up yourself. What a beautiful gift. Remote start is one of our all-time favorite features for that exact reason. Just don’t forget that if your car is in the garage, you need to open the garage door before you use that remote start!

Heated, Well, Everything

The number of things in your vehicle that can be heated these days is impressive. Heated seats are an obvious must-have and have been a staple for winter weather driving for a while now. But now you can also get heated steering wheels, heated side mirrors (because who wants to scrape those tiny things? It’s always such a hassle!), and even a heated windshield to keep ice from building up during a particularly treacherous drive. Heated seats might be our favorite, but if you have the opportunity to have more than just your seats heated, we say take advantage! Being warm and cozy even as a snowstorm rages outside is one of the best things about all these advancements. Give us all-heated everything and we’ll be happy.

Wiper De-Icers

If you’ve ever driven around with icy windshield wipers when the snow starts falling you know that it’s not only inconvenient, it can be downright dangerous. Having wiper de-icers eliminates that danger by keeping them from gathering ice and slush or getting frozen to your windshield. These are considered a luxury feature, but if it’s a doable luxury for you, we highly recommend it.

Winter Tires

Okay, this is less of a luxury feature and more of a non-negotiable in Colorado, but any chance we get to mention winter tires, we’re going to take. Make sure you have your winter tires on by now! After all, good winter tires can help you avoid auto body repair. The tread on them is different, and some even react differently to cold temperatures, increasing traction by temperature-activated features. There’s a big difference between what your summer or all-season tires can do for you and what winter tires do for you. It’s not just about function, it’s about safety.

All-Wheel Drive

This is pretty standard in most vehicles these days, but if you’re new to Colorado and wondering if you can get by without it, we wouldn’t recommend it. All-wheel drive makes driving in inclement conditions so much easier and less stressful.

Winter in Colorado, while fairly mild overall, can throw some serious curveballs your way. When the weather gets particularly nasty or cold, it’s nice to know that you’ve got options for making your drive better, warmer, and a lot more comfortable. What are your favorite winter driving features?

Getting the Best Sound in Your Car

Posted on: June 19th, 2019 by Accurate Auto Body Repair No Comments

best sound in car Between commutes, road trips, and daily driving, we spent a tremendous amount of time in our vehicles. That can be a boring prospect if you don’t have entertainment on deck. But if you have a solid playlist lined up, the entire mood of the drive can change. You’re probably familiar with the feeling the right song at the right time through your stereo brings, but you might not be as familiar with how much better that feeling can be with the right sound system to make that song, and all the others on your playlists, sound their absolute best. As your local auto body shop, we see a lot of cars and their sound systems. If you think the sound in your vehicle could be amped up, or elevated, here are our tips on how to get the best sound quality possible.

Don’t Stick With What You’re Given

We’re sure this doesn’t come as a surprise, but it’s rare that the sound system that comes standard within your vehicle offers the best sound quality possible. But here’s the bright side of that – with today’s after-market options, you aren’t stuck with the standard equipment. If sound quality is important to you as a driver, you have plenty of options.

Pad Your Car

While you need to be able to hear some things on the road, a lot of vehicles are….noisy. Road noise makes it difficult to hear the sound of your music accurately and can affect the harshness and quality of the sound. If you use a sound-deadening product like Dynamat or Hushmat for example, you can reduce vibration and road noise. By doing this, you don’t have to turn your music up as loud when you’re driving, which allows your amps to work a little less and lets you hear your music more clearly.

Get Your Subwoofer On

One of the most common after-market add-ons for an in-vehicle sound system is a subwoofer – and for good reason. It’s not unusual for a driver to not even notice that they’re missing the bottom octave of their music until they hear the same song with subwoofer installed. As an added bonus, a subwoofer can take a load off your full-range speakers, making your existing sound system last longer, too.

Invest in Quality

This should go without saying, but if you’re going to amp up the sound system in your vehicle, do so with quality in mind. If you weren’t happy with the quality of sound your pre-existing system gave you, taking the cheap route certainly won’t make it any better. Invest in high-quality equipment and you’ll get high-quality sound.

From amps to subwoofer boxes to cables and beyond, there are countless customizations you can make to your vehicle’s sound system in order to elevate it and meet the needs of your daily life and sound preferences. Just make sure you consult with an expert and have any after-market systems or components installed by a professional, too. There are too many moving parts in a vehicle (no pun intended) to be trying your hand at wiring things yourself.

What’s the Deal With Bird’s Eye View Cameras?

Posted on: December 5th, 2018 by Accurate Auto Body Denver No Comments

car bird's eye view camera Car Bird’s Eye View Camera – What The?

Automotive technology is evolving quickly, and there are no signs of it slowing down. Some of the advancements may be flashes in the pan, while others are bound to stick around for the foreseeable future. Tech that makes a driver’s life easier and safer is almost always a sure bet, and one more recent development from Toyota promises to do just that – but what’s really the deal behind this kinda-crazy-cool piece of tech? Let’s look a little closer and see how it can help you avoid auto body repair.

What the Heck is a Bird’s Eye View Camera?

The car bird’s eye view camera was created to give drivers a seamless, high-def, panoramic view of the surroundings of the vehicle. It can do this in both overhead and moving views, providing a new level of vehicle-camera integration. The panoramic images are created using four cameras – one in the front, one on each side mirror, and one on the rear (this is the one drivers are probably most familiar with, as it’s been employed in backup cameras for years now). What the display shows vary based on what you have the car shifted into. In park, it displays a 360 overhead view as well as can show you the 360 “see-through” view. When in reverse, it continues to show the overhead view while also showing the traditional backup camera view. It also offers different displays and features for when you’re in drive and neutral as well.

How Can it Help Drivers?

Bird’s eye view cameras have the opportunity to give drivers a better perspective of the space around them. This is likely to come in most handy when navigating tight spaces and uncertain turns. Sometimes, the rearview mirrors and looking at your surroundings just doesn’t give you the full picture of your space and your vehicle. Especially in tight spaces, it can be difficult for drivers to maneuver, and collisions with retaining walls, tight corners, and unexpected objects happen regularly. This technology offers the potential to lessen those collisions greatly.

Do You Need One?

As with most more advanced vehicle technology, the answer here is no. You don’t strictly NEED this tech in order to drive safely. However, if you’re a driver who struggles with spatial awareness and has found yourself with vehicle damage thanks to a tight space in the past, it might be worth considering investing in a vehicle with the tech. We’re always a fan of automotive technology that keeps drivers safer on the roads and in tough driving situations.

Learn more about Accurate Auto Body Shop in metro Denver.

Should I Trust the Tech?

New technology usually has some glitches to work through, and though each piece of tech is thoroughly tested before it’s released to the masses, it’s hard to learn what needs to be fixed until it’s been used on the roads by a large number of people. It’s fair to have a small amount of reservation, as the bird’s eye view is created by compiling images from 4 different cameras seamlessly, and not by a little drone following you around from above your vehicle everywhere you go (thank goodness!) That means there’s math involved in creating the composite image you see on your screen, and anywhere this is the case, there’s a chance that things can go wonky. Think about the panoramic photo setting on your phone camera. If something moves while you’re taking the picture, it can look completely wrong in the finished product. We don’t anticipate issues of that level with this tech, but it’s always a good idea to trust your vehicle’s technology with a grain of salt. No number of cameras are an adequate substitute for proper training and practice driving a vehicle in all types of situations.

What do you think of this interesting advancement in vehicle tech? Would you purchase a vehicle featuring the bird’s eye view camera?

Lane Paint – Can We Do Better in Colorado?

Posted on: October 5th, 2018 by Accurate Auto Body Repair No Comments

Better lane paint Better Lane Paint

As your auto body shop, if there’s one thing we hear complaints about in Colorado often, it’s the lane markers. Any time it rains, it gets difficult to see them, fast. But the question is, are there better lane paint solutions? To find out, we did a little digging into how the lane markers are created now, and whether or not it’s the best option for our state and the safety of our drivers. Here’s what we found out.

Reflective Paint

While some critics have said they don’t believe that CDOT uses reflective paint on their lane markers, turns out that’s just a myth! They do, in fact, use a reflective paint on all their lane markers. So if that’s not the answer to why the visibility on the lane markers fades so drastically in a solid summer/fall storm, then what could it be?

The Winter Compromise

As it turns out, the culprit to blame is winter. Because Colorado tends to see some solid snow action every year, many lane markers are placed on the road in a slight indent, so that when the plows are out in the winter they don’t scrape the paint off. Because of this, when we get a solid rain, the little inlets fill up with water, making the reflective paint harder to spot. It’s a compromise that was made to keep the lane markers lasting longer and therefore creating an efficient use of taxpayer’s money, but the trade-offs can be frustrating for drivers.

What Can We Do?

Unfortunately, there’s not much to be done, because the CDOT makes these decisions after considering a number of factors, including best utilization of the funds available. However, if you’re worried about being safe on the road when those markers get less visible, we urge you to consider being more aware of your surroundings. Just like you would do if a winter storm hit and the lanes got wiped out, following the flow of traffic around you and adjusting to create lanes together is a good way to go. As long as you know what’s happening around you, your eyes are on the road, and you’re taking everything as it comes, at a reasonable speed to keep you safe, you should be ok. Even though it can be frustrating, understanding the reasoning behind some of the decisions made for us Coloradans on the road can help ease the frustration and better prepare you to be the safest driver possible. And hey, that’s never a bad thing.

What’s Shaping Up for 2019 Vehicles?

Posted on: September 12th, 2018 by Accurate Auto Body Shop No Comments

2019 Auto Trends 2019 Auto Trends

2019 models are starting to roll out now, and more vehicle trends and innovations will be revealed in the coming months, but if you’re wondering what’s on the horizon for the latest and greatest in automobile technology, here are some of the biggest 2019 auto trends manufacturers are aiming to make their mark in with new models.

Self-Driving Cars (Surprise, Surprise)

This is becoming a more and more prevalent reality – which is crazy, considering it feels like only yesterday we were rolling our eyes and saying “Sure, Jetsons,” but it seems that self-driving vehicles are a technology that’s going to stick around, despite some pretty serious bumps in the road. As with most technologies, this one probably has a ways to go until it’s ready for mass availability, but it’s certainly becoming more readily available, and rideshare services like Lyft and Uber have even started utilizing self-driving vehicles in their fleets.

Sleeker Design

Cleaner lines, sleeker designs, and sexier silhouettes are a star feature in a lot of 2019 models. Of course, all manufacturers have different plans for different vehicles and the main functions of those vehicles, but there’s no denying that the sports car feel is coming back for a lot of vehicles, especially sedans. If you’ve been waiting for that sleek, sexy car of your daydreams, 2019 may be the year for you.

Next Level Inter-Connectivity

From WiFi to Apple CarPlay and Android connectivity, most manufacturers are taking in-vehicle connectivity to the next level. It’s more than basic Bluetooth connectivity now, it’s turning your vehicle into the mini-computer powerhouse that your smartphone is, all accessible from the dashboard. Connected cars are becoming central hubs for traveling workers, or even road tripping families who want to take their entertainment and productivity on the road to the next level.

Accident Prevention

With automatic braking systems, steering assist, and lane-centering technologies, among other safety features, the future of automobile tech is looking toward keeping drivers safer on the road when the unexpected happens. Which, hopefully, means less need for auto body repair.

This is just a taste of what’s to come, and we’re excited to see the developments, especially in accident prevention and safety features. As tech capabilities increase, a vehicle’s ability to correct when human error or a moment of mental unawareness puts you in a scary situation will increase as well, which is a huge positive. That, alongside convenience features and the progression of self-driving technology, is making the future of automobiles an exciting place to look forward to. What would you like to see happen in automotive tech in 2019 and beyond?

Self-Driving Setback

Posted on: August 2nd, 2018 by Accurate Auto Body Denver No Comments

self driving In the world of automobile technology advancements, self-driving technology has been on the lips of, well, just about everyone for awhile now. Even though the tech is promising and theoretically could make the roads a safer place make for less auto body repair when all the kinks are worked out, there’s a long way to go before the concept is problem-free. And in the meantime? Well, some bad stuff is capable of happening.

Self-Driving Cars – All the Rage

It’s the hottest trend in automotive tech right now, and for good reason. It has the ability to keep roads safer, help account for human error faster and more accurately than a human could, and see things that would normally be considered in a driver’s “blind spot.” There’s a lot of good that can come from a finely tuned self-driving system, but as with most hot topics, there’s a darker side, too.

When Self-Driving Goes Wrong

As was evidenced by the recent self-driving Uber crash that took the life of a cyclist in Arizona, self-driving vehicles are not foolproof, and still require the “backup driver” or human to be paying attention. It makes sense – technology fails about as often as people, do, really. Even if a particular bit of technology is reliable most of the time, it still has a margin for error. In many cases, these errors don’t put human life at risk, but in the case of self-driving vehicles, with so many vehicles (and humans inside of them) on the road every day, the risk is much higher, and the consequences much greater.

Consequences

The worst happened in Arizona – and while the investigation is ongoing, there seems to be a consensus that the human driver could have stopped the crash from happening had they been paying more acute attention to the road when the self-driving technology failed. The thing about self-driving tech is that it’s customizable – so though there are features for automatic braking when unexpected hazards arrive, but those features can also be turned off. And even when they aren’t, self-driving technology is not an excuse for drivers to be more distracted on the road or ignore their surroundings completely. After all, as we’ve discussed, the technology is capable of failure, and human intervention is still often needed in certain situations.

What’s Next?

At the end of the day, humans have been behind the wheel much longer than technology. The recent deadly crash in Arizona is just a reminder that this particular technology has a ways to go, and it may never fully replace the watchful eye of a human driver. As a result of the crash, Uber has pulled their self-driving vehicles and is re-examining their strategy around the emerging tech. Even if your vehicle has self-driving capabilities, this is a solid reminder that your attention on the road and the vehicles around you is still very much needed. How do you feel about self-driving vehicles?