Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/162438
Safety Alert Seat – Cadillac A seat that vibrates to alert the driver of safety threats. Comes standard on the 2013 Cadillac XTS luxury sedan. The tech: A computer network The benefits: An audio or video alert sends a pulse to the left or right side can be missed, especially if the music is of the seat – or both sides if the danger is loud. But it is hard to ignore, if you will, coming from the front or rear – to alert a kick in the butt. And the sooner a the driver to potential dangers, such as driver can recognize a hazard, the more the vehicle drifting out of its lane or quickly he or she can react. In the imminent risk of a collision. The system future, these types of technologies may gathers data from ultrasonic sensors, evolve to the point that drivers aren't radar and cameras to analyze surround- part of the equation at all. GM, for one, ings and spot potential hazards. estimates that fully autonomous, selfdriving vehicles could be available as early as the next decade. Cadillac's safety alert seat gives drivers a buzz on the left or right side if the vehicle is drifting out of its lane without the turn signal activated. Zero-Gravity Seat – Nissan An ergonomic seat that emulates a weightless environment. A six-way manual-adjusting version comes standard on the 2013 Altima base model. Power-adjustable versions appear in the Altima SV and SL. The tech: "Nissan used research done by NASA in zero gravity to better understand a human's natural posture," says Tim Franklin, senior manager of product planning for Nissan Canada. Then it teamed up with the Yamazaki Laboratory at Japan's Keio (above) Comfy! Nissan's zerogravity seat, available in the 2013 Altima. (left) Nissan used zerogravity research from NASA to come up with a seat design that properly supports the pelvis, back and spine. University, which specializes in ergonomically designed furniture. The result is a seat that provides continuous support from the pelvis up to the chest, increasing blood flow and reducing strain on back muscles and death and injury. Saskatchewan Government the spine, which in turn reduces Insurance reports that in 2011, fatigue contrib- driver fatigue. uted to 139 collisions, resulting in two deaths and 67 injuries. The zero-gravity seat aims to The benefits: Running off the road help keep drivers fresh and alert for longer, – often associated with fatigue – is a which should keep them safer as a result. common driver error resulting in ℹ caask.ca/automotive/automotive-consumer-information Courtesy Cadillac, courtesy Nissan, (Nissan seat) Aaron Gold p36-37_Automotive.indd 37 westworld >> fa l l 2 0 1 3 37 13-08-19 8:38 AM