Systems drive safety

Engineers are using a holistic approach to design safer vehicles by adding functions and integrating multiple subsystems.

There is a single theme for those developing the next generation of safety equipment: systems. Engineers are no longer thinking about discrete elements, they are focusing more on combining related technologies to provide more benefits.

The systems approach ranges from the time-tested technique of adding more functions to an existing controller to the more complex integration of different functions such as braking, steering, and powertrain management. As the automotive industry prepares for Convergence, the show's reinvention theme is forcing product developers to step back and look not at electronic controls, networks, or mechanical features but at the totality of driving.