As with all cars, Mercedes-Benz’s latest supercar the SLS AMG had to pass crash testing to be certified as safe for use on the public roads.

This video released by Mercedes-Benz shows the SLS AMG being prepared and tested (crashed) from various angles. It also shows that in the event that the SLS AMG rolls onto its roof in a crash the gullwing doors will still be able to be opened.

In case you were wondering, the SLS employs explosive bolts to ensure that passengers can get out of the car in case of a roll over.

This clever commercial from Mercedes, designed to promote their new pre-safe brakes, presents a twist on the dangers of texting and driving.
Namely, DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE! (not even if you have a Mercedes-Benz)

As with anything successful, cars have gotten easier to use, cheaper to buy, and more accessible to all. Unfortunately, life has gotten harder, quicker, and more hecktic. Which is exactly why car manufacturers strive to add any technology to help people drive their cars safely. There are some electric nanny aids that many of us do without, but there are others, like rear backup cameras and warning systems, that proponents suggest could save lives. How many? If the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) new findings are any indication, quite a few. In 2007 alone, 221 people were killed when vehicles backed up over them, and 99 of those were children under the age of 14. The worst part is a total of 14,000 (with 2,000 of them being children) were merely injured by being backed over.

This new data has been made publicly available by NHTSA in accordance with legislation that was passed last year that will mandate a reduction in vehicle blind spots via additional mirrors, cameras or sensors, as well as brake interlock systems that won’t allow cars to shift out of park without the application of the brakes. For a summary of vehicle safety data, click here for the NHTSA’s most recent set of reports.

Lexus Logo

Toyota has announced they need to recall about 214,500 2006-2008 GS300/350, IS250/350 and LS460/460L sedans over potentially faulty fuel delivery pipes.

The Japanese automaker is working with the NHTSA on the US recall, which centers around fuel pipes that can corrode, eventually resulting in a leak. The problem reportedly stems from certain ethanol fuels with low moisture content that can lead to rust, occasionally (but not always) triggering a dashboard indicator lamp indicating a system malfunction.

The affected GS, IS, and LS owners should be contacted about the recall via mail, and Lexus dealers have been instructed to install the replacement parts at no cost.

So much for any car manufacturer being without problems…

Nissan Motor Co. is recalling 200,000 2007-2008 cars and SUVs to address an electrical issue that may cause the passenger side airbag to not operate in an accident. The problem appears to mainly affect the Nissan Altima, but owners of the Infiniti EX35, G35 Sedan and G37, along with Nissan 350Z, Murano and Rogue may also receive notification of the problem.

Nissan’s explanation is a bit vague: Simply that an “electrical component” could cause an interruption in the airbag sensor signal, preventing the ‘bag from deploying.

Of the 200,000 cars and SUV’s, 140,000 are Nissan Altima cars from the 2007-08 model years. A Nissan spokesman says there have been no injuries or crashes. Most of the recalled vehicles are in the United States; others are in Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Persian Gulf.

Who’s gonna win the non-so-lucky-lotto?

For those of you zany people who own a 2008 Honda Element, don’t panic, but your automobile might be subject to a recall issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). If you’re anywhere near your Element now, slowly back away, seek shelter, and call 1-800-999-1009 to make sure your car isn’t one of the 241 vehicles that might have improperly welded front bushing brackets on the left trailing arm of the rear suspension.

If you do happen to be one of the unlucky few, Honda does urge you to have your vehicle taken (not driven) to a Honda dealership, where it can be inspected and fixed if necessary. Head over to NHTSA’s website to get the full scoop.

This just goes to show whether you own a Bentley, Ferrari, or BMW, everyone has problems. We have just received word that Bavarian Car Maker BMW is officially recalling 200,000 vehicles over concerns that the front passenger air bag might not deploy in a crash.

The German automaker says the recall includes all models of the 2006 3 Series, the 2004-2006 5 Series, and the 2004-2006 X3 compact sport utility vehicle.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on their website Wednesday that small cracks could possibly develop in the seat detection mat that could lead to the front passenger air bags to be deactivated.

But that’s not all…

Not only would the airbags be deactivated, but it would also turn on the passenger air bag “on-off” light. The NHTSA says the head protection system would not be affected.

Official word from BMW last month was that they are unaware of any injuries or accidents tied to the problem. But if there have been no injuries, how have they found the problem across such a product range? True this is a voluntary recall, but when was the last time that any German car maker was mandated to do a recall?

BMW will begin sending out letters to their customers late September 2008. (Yes, that’s over 1 month away)

BMW does say that affected owners can continue driving their vehicles; however, customers should contact their BMW Center if the air bag warning lamp, and the passenger air bag ”on-off” lamp are illuminated simultaneously.

In this situation, BMW recommends customers not to use the front passenger seat and have the vehicle serviced immediately.

Let the BMW Bashing begin!

In a recent study conducted by engineers at Mercedes-Benz, it was found that 20% of ALL rear-end collisions could have been avoided in Germany last year just with the simple help of the company’s DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS. What’s even more interesting is Mercedes found that on motorways, rear-end collisions could have been reduced even further by an average of 36 percent!

The findings were based on a brand new procedure developed by Mercedes engineers that makes possible a predictive calculation of the usefulness of new safety technologies. The formula takes into account both official statistics and the analysis of the approximately 16,000 traffic accidents studied within the framework GIDAS (German In-Depth Accident Study), as well as the reconstruction of more than 800 rear-end collisions.

For those of you unfamiliar with either Mercedes’ DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS, the systems are both radar-based, with around 40% of new S-Class models already equipped with the technology (and more than 80% of new C-Class models). DISTRONIC PLUS operates by keeping your vehicle at a driver chosen distance from the vehicle traveling in front of you, and, if necessary, is capable of braking your vehicle to a complete standstill, depending on the traffic situation.

In case the traffic in front of you slows too rapidly, the system provides a warning and calculates the required brake pressure required to safely stop the vehicle, which is then applied instantaneously by the Brake Assist PLUS system as soon as the brake pedal is depressed. Should you disregard the warning, the PRE-SAFE Brake system performs an emergency partial braking maneuver, significantly reducing the severity of the impact.

As for the potential impact Mercedes’ safety systems are capable of making in the real world: in Germany, there are over 50,000 severe rear-end accidents every year, with 5,700 noting death or serious injuries. In the U.S., around 30% of all traffic accidents are of the result of rear-end collisions. Reducing both by 20% and the severity of even more would without question be a milestone achievement in improving automotive safety.

To learn more about DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS from Mercedes-Benz, as well as their contribution to accident prevention, you can find the complete information along with pictures in the official press release below.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Recent Mercedes-Benz accident study calculation: 20 percent fewer rear-end collisions thanks to DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS

Stuttgart – DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS, the Mercedes-Benz assistance systems based on sophisticated radar technology, make an effective contribution to accident prevention. This is the conclusion reached after an analysis carried out by Mercedes-Benz on the basis of representative accident research data. With the help of this technology an average of one fifth of all rear-end collisions could be prevented in Germany alone. And on motorways, rear-end collisions could be reduced even further: by an average of 36 percent. The Mercedes-Benz systems warn drivers when they are maintaining too little distance from the vehicle traveling in front and provide support in the event of emergency braking.

Engineers working for the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer have developed a procedure which for the first time makes possible a predictive calculation of the usefulness of new safety technologies. For this the specialists have taken into account both official statistics and the analysis of the approximately 16,000 traffic accidents which have so far been studied within the framework GIDAS (German In-Depth Accident Study).

The evaluation of the safety potential offered by the DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS assistance systems is based on the reconstruction of more than 800 rear-end collisions. The focus of the representative study was the question: how many of those accidents could have been avoided if all the passenger cars had been equipped with this Mercedes-Benz technology?
The results confirmed the great safety effect of the systems: with DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS an average of more than 20 percent of all rear-end collisions could be prevented. In a further one-quarter of all collisions the systems could contribute to a significant reduction of the severity of the accident.

The greatest safety potential is offered by the interaction of modern radar and braking technology on motorways, where around 36 percent of all rear-end collisions could be avoided.

Around 40 percent of all S-Class saloons equipped with radar technology

The DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control system keeps your vehicle at a previously chosen distance from the vehicle traveling in front and, if necessary brakes your vehicle to a complete standstill, depending on the traffic situation. If the distance to the preceding vehicle narrows down too rapidly, the system warns the driver and calculates the required brake pressure, which is then provided instantaneously by the Brake Assist PLUS system as soon as the brake pedal is depressed. Should the driver disregard the warning, the PRE-SAFE® Brake system performs an emergency partial braking manoeuvre, significantly reducing the severity of the impact.

Since 2005, Mercedes-Benz has offered these radar-based assistance systems for the S-Class, and since 2006 for the CL luxury coupé. Around 40 percent of all German customers buying new S-Class vehicles equip them with this safety technology; while the proportion of CL-Class outfitted with DISTRONIC PLUSand Brake Assist PLUSis even higher, exceeding 80 percent. Since 2005 Mercedes-Benz has delivered a total of more than 45,000 passenger cars featuring these innovative systems.

In order to calculate the safety benefits provided by this technology, Mercedes-Benz specialists make use of relevant data from the individual accidents, such as speed, distance to the other vehicle and driver’s braking behaviour. With these data, together with the governing algorithms of DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS, the individual speed reduction is calculated. The engineers from Mercedes-Benz decided to apply a conservative calculation principle and did not take into account, for example, the additional safety-enhancing effect of the visual and audible distance warnings which prompt the driver to apply the brakes himself if the system determines it can no longer avoid a collision by itself. The analysis is based on the assumption that the drivers ignore these warnings.

In Germany there are over 50,000 severe rear-end collisions every year, causing death or serious injuries to around 5,700 people. Of all the accidents involving personal injury, one in six is a rear-end collision. In the United States this accident type makes up around 30 percent of all serious traffic accidents.
The engineers of the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer continue to work tirelessly on the development of further driver assistance systems aimed at helping to prevent road accidents.

Copyright © 2008, Daimler AG

Much like the current Mercedes-Benz S Class, the new Toyota Crown Hybrid, has opted for a LCD panel mounted directly above the steering wheel in the dash, instead of traditional gauges. In the case of the Toyota, their 1280 x 480 pixel screen has a fancy name called “Night View.”

And just like the Mercedes-Benz S Class, Toyota is now offering a night vision system that changes the screen from the standard Speedometer and RPM gauges, to a full screen Night Vision displal. But, Toyota has gone a step further by adding a human recognition system to their night vision system. As with any bleeding edge technology, there are some limits however.
The technology currently only works when the vehicle is being driven between 15-60km/h, or about 10-40 miles per hour. And certain conditions, like rain, can also sometimes force the system to shut down. And a high cost is also being cited as a potential obstacle to bring the technology to market. But Toyota is forging ahead and currently working on lowering the cost of Night View and programming it to recognize bicycles and animals.

Still, sounds like a cool idea. Check out the pics for more detail.

The 13,000+ Bentley Continental owners (or, more likely, Bentley Continental owners’ chauffeurs) will now need to be making an unscheduled pit stop at their local Flying B dealership. An official safety recall has been issued due to the potential for road salt to corrode the fuel filter, resulting in leakage and the obvious potential for fire, Olde-English style.

Can’t wait to see the spin German behemoth VW is going to put on this. Perhaps something like: “It might not be a British car anymore, but we can still make it spontaneously combust, right? – Bentley Marketing.”

The affected vehicles include the 2004-2008 model years of the Bentley Continental GT, Bentley GT Speed, Flying Spur, and GTC vehicles.

So keep an eye in the mailbox for your letter, and ask James to pick you up in the Maybach instead. This just goes to show no matter how much you pay for a car, something’s always gonna go wrong.

Story & Photo courtesy of Edmunds Inside Line