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Amy Harris, Community Manager for Vehicle Tracking Experts reviews the top trends in vehicle safety

IF you are already looking for new cars to purchase in the New Year, and are looking to purchase vehicles with the latest safety gadgets, here is a rundown of five safety features which are set to be popular features on new cars in 2014.

1.  After dark pedestrian detection

It is still one of our bugbears, when driving at night (especially in these cold autumn/winter months) where we don’t see an all-black-clad pedestrian stepping out into the road unless it’s too late.

Fear not, as the safety experts at Volvo are incorporating a new version of this technology into the new XC90 in 2014, updated to detect animals as well as humans for those of us who drive in the country.

Lexus introduced its own Advanced Pre-Collision System in 2013, and Audi already has Night Vision Assist on the A8. The difference with Volvo’s system is that if the driver doesn’t brake, the car will, potentially avoiding you being responsible for any injured pedestrians, cyclists or road kill.

2.  Road barrier detection

This is another feature of the new Volvo XC90, and while we may have seen Lane Departure Warning Systems before on brands like Mercedes, Audi and Lexus, which depend on road markings to keep the vehicle in lane, Volvo’s system detects road edges and barriers, and actually steers the car away from them.

3.  Adaptive cruise control

The Mercedes S Class has had radar guided cruise control for a few years now, and this is also going to be a new feature in the XC90, combining this technology with drowsiness sensors, so while the Volvo can practically drive itself, it will still look to ensure the driver is still awake when it needs him/her.

More and more cars are adding cruise control to their suite of safety features as standard, though some models like the new Audi A3 Saloon will only have this as an optional extra.

4.  Driver drowsiness detection

More manufacturers are taking note of drowsiness detection, the first example of this technology coming from, again, Volvo in 2007.

As studies have suggested that around 20% of accidents are fatigue related (rising to 50% on some roads), it is no wonder that this feature is becoming more popular, this being added to the 2014 Ford Mondeo.

Drowsiness detection software ‘learns’ the user’s driving habits, to detect when they are appearing to become more fatigued, and alerting them to take a rest. As above, the XC90’s system works in conjunction with the car’s other safety features, and we may yet see more of this type of co-operation in the future.