To many, the point of a vehicle is to get a driver and passengers where they want to go. That statement should be adapted however. The point of a vehicle is to get people to their destinations safely! Safety is something that is often taken for granted, especially in luxury cars. However, a safe car can save lives and prevent injuries that can affect the remainder of a person’s life.
Luxury vehicles tend to lead the way in safety features. As soon as a new safety feature is designed, it’s implemented in luxury vehicles first. This is done for two reasons. The first is that the technology is likely more expensive to develop at first, and that additional price is better hidden in luxury vehicles. The other reason is that exclusivity is a lure for luxury. The most luxurious vehicles should have the most features.
Car Safety Features
There are many aspects to car safety. One of the best things about luxury cars is that they typically come with a wide array of safety features. These features work tirelessly to protect the driver and passengers from the dangers of the road and potential injury. These features can assist prevent accidents in many ways. Safety features include:
- Blind Spot Monitoring - Blind spot monitoring is typically located in the wing mirrors. There will be an area in the mirror that may flash red if there’s a car hidden in the blind spot. If the driving vehicle signals and starts to move in that direction, an audible warning will sound.
- Adaptive Cruise Control - Adaptive cruise control is a step above the old cruise control system that simply locked in at a specific speed. Adaptive cruise control instead uses lasers to determine how fast the vehicle in front is traveling. If it slows down, the adaptive cruise control will brake as well to match speed.
- Rear-View Cameras - For many people, driving in reverse is the most difficult. This can lead to many accidents leaving the driveway or when parking in a parking lot. Rear view cameras allow people to see what’s going on behind them. Many are also fitted with alarms and braking in the case of a sudden incident.
- Automatic Emergency Braking - This is becoming one of the most important safety features on the market these days. Emergency braking takes the same concepts in adaptive cruise control, but takes more action if it senses a collision. People can better deal with emergency situations when the brakes have already been deployed. Every second counts.
- Facial Recognition Software - This is one of the newest safety features and is still being implemented in vehicles. The vehicle itself will monitor the facial features of the driver. If they seem to be dozing off or losing attention, a warning will sound. Future models are expected to feature rumble alerts in the seat as well.
Safe and Luxurious Models
It’s hard to really determine the best models to own. There’s so many great luxury vehicles available that things usually come down to personal taste and preference. That being said, there are some luxury vehicles which excel at safety as well as the luxury component of driving. Some of these vehicles include:
- BMW X5 - The BMW midsize luxury SUV is a fine luxury option packed with safety features including night vision and parking assistance.
- Volvo XC90 - If there’s one company known for safety, it’s Volvo. The XC90 is no disappointment featuring almost every main safety feature standard!
- Lincoln Continental - The Continental is a top safety pick and scored perfectly on essentially every safety test that came its way. Some special features include cross traffic alerts and pedestrian detection.
- Genesis G90 - Perhaps a surprise inclusion for some, the Genesis badge has taken huge strides. The G90 is packed with essentially every safety feature you could want standard.
- Mercedes Benz C-Class - the C-Class continues to be the pinnacle of entry level luxury sedans. Since the C-Class starts at a bit lower price range, not all safety features are standard. However, higher level trims come with the full package including full surround view cameras, speed limit assist and parking sensors.
- Mercedes Benz 5 Series - The 5 series may have lost some of the sportiness of its past models, but has more than made up for it with incredible luxury and safety features.