Safer cars? Keep the driver, but have him do less

Singapore

AS millions of cars are under recall for potentially lethal air bags, designers are trying to reduce the need for the device - using sensors, radar, cameras and lasers to prevent collisions in the first place.

With driver error blamed for over 90 per cent of road accidents, the thinking is it would be better to have them do less of the driving. The US- based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that forward-collision warning systems cut vehicle-to- vehicle crashes by 7 per cent - not a quantum leap, but a potential life saver. Nearly 31,000 people died in car accidents in 2012 in the US alone.

"Passive safety features will stay important, and we need them. The next level is now visible. Autonomous driving for us is clearly a strategy to realise our visi…