By Iñigo Roces There are some situations where an accident is all but avoidable. Yet there is something smart cars and their clever features can do to reduce the damage and likelihood of fatalities. Many cars are now fitted with sensors that can scan for vehicles ahead and apply the brakes if the driver has taken no action to slow down These days, you’ll find ABS and EBD on practically every car sold today. You may be familiar with ABS, but Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) is hardly ever explained. Put simply, EBD works best in fully loaded vehicles. As the brakes are applied, EBD ensures that the right amount of brakeforce goes to the front and rear wheels. With one or two passengers, little is needed, but with a full car, there’s a lot more needed. When you slam on the brakes, there’s another system that works silently in the background. Mercedes-Benz calls this Pre-Safe, which jumps into action the moment it detects a panic braking situation. If any windows are open, it begins to close them, it tightens the seatbelts, and tells the brake lights to start blinking repeatedly to warn drivers behind. Similar systems are equipped in most European vehicles and in Nissans and Hondas. Some may remember the string of Sudden Unintended Acceleration incidents a couple of years back. And while many brands have already fitted systems that detect vehicles in front and brake if there is no driver input (sometimes called Forward Collision Mitigation, City Safety, Full Auto Stop), Isuzu goes straight to the source with its Brake Override System (BOS). Equipped in its latest mu-X and D-Max, if the BOS detects that the driver has stepped on both the brake and accelerator at the same time unintentionally, it will instantly cut off the throttle and apply the brake. Some accidents cannot be avoided, even with the help of systems like auto-braking fitted, simply because the vehicle is moving too fast or there’s not enough room to stop on time. When this happens, you needn’t worry. Many of the vehicles now, like Nissans, Hondas, Hyundais, Mercedes-Benzes, and Volvos instantly turn on the hazard lights for a few seconds after the crash. Doors will also be unlocked, and of course, airbags will be deployed. Of course, these systems can only do so much. The best way to avoid serious injuries is to maintain the proper seating position, always fasten your seatbelts, and keep an eye on the road. Don’t rely on these systems to save you from an accident. As smart as they are, the smartest driver is still a human being.