Collision avoidance refers to active-safety technologies that work to prevent traffic crashes.
At the core of these technologies is automatic emergency braking, which intervenes when the driver fails to react quickly enough to potential impacts. Leading up to that point in so-equipped vehicles, sensors built into the front and, sometimes, into the rear alert drivers with visual and audible warnings. Vehicles with such sensors in the rear may also have reverse emergency braking, which is handy for backing out of a parking space or driveway.
Lane departure warning and lane-keeping assist are additional safety features to avoid incidental contact with other vehicles.
In more advanced systems, a steering assist may add to an automobile’s automatic measures to veer from stopped traffic or other potential road dangers.
Of course, all of these measures can be activated or suspended at the driver’s discretion.
See also Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.
