Jan. 19, 2015—Forward collision alert technology is becoming available in some of the latest Chevrolet models, including the Silverado, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse, according to a report from Phys.org.
The alerts let the driver know if they are seconds away from a potential crash, or if they are tailgating another vehicle too closely. The 2015 Impala, Tahoe and Suburban offer Front Automatic Braking, which can automatically slow or stop the vehicle if the driver does not respond quickly to an alert.
The alert system uses either a forward-mounted radar on the grille area, or a camera attached to the back of the car’s rear-view mirror.
When a potential crash is impending, a red warning light will flicker, accompanied with high-pitched beeping. In Chevrolet models equipped with the available Safety Alert Seat that is turned on, instead of beeps, the patented seat will quickly pulse five times on both sides.
"Many of us have been in driving situations where the car ahead of us suddenly slows — or we momentarily look away at the wrong time — and we have to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision," General Motors active safety technical fellow Raymond J. Kiefer told Phys.com. "Front Automatic Braking provides a layer of driver assistance beyond Forward Collision Alert systems to help prevent this common crash situation."
