New DOT Safety Rule Will Save Lives of Electric Car Drivers

The U.S. Dept of Transportation’s Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration simply handed a way more aggressive requirement that might considerably enhance a automobile’s skill to keep away from accidents.

I’ve owned two electrical automobiles thus far and, sadly, totaled each of them.

The primary was totaled as a result of a tow truck driver secured the automobile improperly when it wanted to be towed again to the supplier. That mistake triggered $100,000 price of injury to a automobile price about half that a lot.

Within the second accident, the automobile practically killed me after knocking me out. It then accelerated quickly to round 50 mph, hit one other automobile, and continued to speed up right into a rock wall (which was not amused). The accident-avoidance expertise clearly failed or wasn’t enabled on this incident.

Thus, the brand new Division of Transportation (DOT) rule requiring superior security tech on all new automobiles and vans might have saved my automobile and me from breaking my again and probably saved the lifetime of anybody in an identical accident.

This week, I’ll share what occurred in that accident, why we’d like autonomous driving’s Guardian Angel characteristic, and why this new DOT rule is kind of actually a lifesaver. We’ll shut with my Product of the Week, the primary operational Degree 3 automobile based mostly on Nvidia’s expertise to be offered within the U.S.

My Auto Accident

Two days after being T-boned in what is likely one of the most harmful intersections the place I dwell, I discovered myself at that intersection after the solar went down. I used to be unable to see cross visitors nicely as a result of it was so darkish. I used to be scared half to dying as automobiles have been backed up round me. My view was blocked by a automobile on the fitting from seeing what was approaching from the fitting, and I couldn’t inform the space of the autos coming from the left.

Since my close to accident had come from the left, I leaned ahead as I entered the intersection not realizing that within the meantime, a automobile had approached from the fitting and blocked my passage (I used to be going straight). After I hit that automobile going round 15 mph, it fired the airbag, which knocked me out; my foot went to the ground, accelerating me into the automobile I hit (electrical automobiles have a ton of torque), which pushed that automobile by way of the intersection and throughout the road.

As I accelerated to round 50, I hit a curb, the automobile practically jumped over a fence, and my again was damaged within the course of. I then rammed a rock wall after the airbag had deflated, totaling the automobile. After I got here to, the police had already arrived, and the EMTs and hearth vans have been simply pulling up.

I ought to add that so many individuals have had accidents at that intersection that they only made it right into a four-way cease as a result of there have been a number of critical accidents after mine. The enterprise proprietor on the nook had reported his parked autos have been hit frequently in related accidents.

The plan is to show that intersection right into a visitors circle ultimately, however given the shortage of visibility, it ought to have at all times been a 4-way cease.

Electrical Automobile Drawback

In a fuel automobile with out cross-traffic alerting or lively accident avoidance, in case you hit a automobile as I did, the automobile would have stalled even when I’d tried to ground it, leading to far much less injury and damage. Nevertheless, electrical automobiles generate 100% torque from a cease, and, as I sadly came upon, they cannot solely energy by way of an accident, however they will proceed to speed up at supercar speeds afterward.

Had I not hit that rock wall, I’d have accelerated to triple digits and warranted my dying after I lastly did hit one thing that will cease the automobile. So, I used to be fortunate I hit that rock wall.

This occasion exemplifies why electrical automobiles want way more sturdy accident prevention expertise than fuel automobiles, not less than for collisions that may knock the motive force unconscious.

Autonomous Automobile Benefit

The present plan is that autonomous automobile expertise would require a month-to-month price to allow it (the tech will initially seem in most high-end electrical autos). However in case you don’t need the automobile to drive itself, it’ll additionally include a free characteristic that Toyota as soon as referred to as Guardian Angel.

Guardian Angel makes use of autonomous automobile tech to forestall doing one thing silly like I did. It’ll take management of the automobile if it senses you might be doing one thing that might get you injured or killed. This expertise will be sure that the lifesaving and injury-reducing options that autonomous automobile expertise guarantees might be achieved.

Nevertheless, till the DOT ruling, it was unlikely this expertise can be on something however the costliest and unique automobiles, not shifting down market till nearer to or after 2030.

DOT Steps In

Nevertheless, final week, the DOT successfully mandated that the collision prevention advantages from Guardian Angel will quickly be required in all automobiles. This expertise is required in electrical autos to keep away from accidents with automobiles and pedestrians by way of avoidance as much as 62 mph and heavy braking as much as 45 mph.

Whereas this requirement gained’t kick in till 2029 so that individuals can get used to it as an possibility and to permit time to enhance the expertise, it’ll begin showing with the approaching wave of autonomous autos by way of the Guardian Angel characteristic within the 2025 mannequin yr in automobiles just like the Mercedes highlighted under as my Product of the Week.

This implementation shouldn’t solely drive Guardian Angel down market to cheaper automobiles extra rapidly but in addition assist guarantee extra individuals are protected than in any other case would have been by 2030.

Wrapping Up

Because of my latest accident and the associated ache I’ll endure for the remainder of my life, I used to be extraordinarily on this latest ruling by the DOT. This compelled march to higher collision avoidance would have saved my automobile and my again and higher protected my life had it already been in place.

The ruling will make electrical automobiles, which might shrug off accidents that will cease fuel automobiles, an awesome deal safer. It’ll additionally cut back accidents with different autos and massively cut back the variety of pedestrians killed on roads.

Additionally, hopefully, it’ll forestall me from ever totaling one other automobile. However ultimately, if you wish to hold your self and your loved ones secure, take into account automobiles with superior accident avoidance as a option to guarantee untimely dying earlier than this new DOT mandate takes place.

Good work, DOT!

Mercedes EQS With Degree 3 Autonomous Driving

The Mercedes EQS electrical and gas-powered S-Class are the primary two automobiles authorised for hands-off Degree 3 autonomous driving within the U.S. Presently, they’re solely licensed in California and Nevada, however I anticipate broader certification within the coming months.

I’m specializing in the EQS and never the S-Class as a result of the EQS is electrical, which is the place this expertise, as a security characteristic, can have the best affect, given the difficulty I famous above with electrical automobiles. The expertise, which largely comes from Nvidia (once more showcasing that firm’s management in every little thing AI) is named Drive Pilot and can embody superior collision avoidance expertise as all autonomous automobiles do.

The EQS is a luxurious automobile sometimes costing north of $120,000, nevertheless it’s not a high-performing electrical with a 0 to 60 time of shut to six seconds. It does have 350 miles of vary, although, making it one of many leaders in electrical vary.

Bear in mind that if you need extra than simply the extra security advantages, Drive Pilot will price you round $2,500 per yr. As a Degree 3 system, it’ll solely work hands-free on highways (Degree 4 is cities, and 5 is full human alternative). The EQS has each sedan and SUV configurations, and whereas the design isn’t as sporty as I’d like, it’s nonetheless a really clear and nice-looking automobile.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan will arrive at U.S. dealerships later in 2024. (Picture Credit score: Mercedes-Benz USA)

Mercedes is already generally known as one of many most secure manufacturers within the Midsized Luxurious Automobile market, and the EQS, with this superior self-driving expertise, needs to be one in every of its most secure. By the way in which, they make AMG and Maybach variations of this automobile, so you could have larger efficiency and much more luxurious decisions, however the value rapidly will get nearer to $200,000 and is probably going method too costly for many.

In the long run, nobody desires to be in an accident, and all of us need to hold our households and pets secure. With Drive Pilot, the Mercedes EQS needs to be the most secure electrical automobile on the street in 2024 and is now my Product of the Week.