When buying a vehicle, whether for a transitional car or electric vehicle, safety is the top priority for most Canadian car shopper. When looking beyond the basic security functions, some features are considered essential. The omission of some safety features in a vehicle can be found as detrimental and can also be a dealbreaker for some potential buyers as they prioritise safety before functionality.
With technology evolving rapidly, safety features are becoming increasingly advanced and capable of keeping the occupants of a vehicle safer, and buying electric vehicles nowadays can prove to show major discrepancies between safety features from one brand to another because of the adoption time needed for a feature to become an industry standard.
In this article, we will discuss the top security features Canadian drivers look for in electric vehicles sold in Canada that offer these safety features.
Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Monitoring
Most Canadian drivers have driven on the highway in traffic. Studies show that repetitive actions may cause the brain to stop responding as quickly to sudden change when it occurs. When in traffic, the continuous stop and go can sometimes lead to accidents when we do not react quickly enough. Adaptive cruise control can allow the car to pilot itself based on the position of other vehicles. Adaptive cruise control keeps an eye on items in front of the car using sensors and occasionally cameras. The car both slows down and speeds up to keep up with the moving traffic in front of it. More advanced systems will completely stop the automobile, and when the car in front of it starts going again, the system will turn back on. In stop-and-go traffic, this is useful as it helps the driver focus on his surroundings.
Even though they serve different purposes, these characteristics are frequently combined. Blind-spot monitoring employs sensors to find vehicles in nearby lanes. When reversing, the rear cross-traffic warning notifies you of any objects or oncoming cars.
This technology is available among plenty of electric vehicles in Canada as it is becoming an industry standard to offer the sensors required to provide for these capacities. These features are available in EVs like Tesla, e-Volvo, Audi, BMW, Mustang, Hyundai, and Kia. Some other well-known brands, such as Toyota, Jaguar, Mini, and Ford, also have these features as optional in their EV models.
Forward Collison Warning with Emergency Braking
These features use similar technology as adaptive cruise control. Forward collision warning will detect a crash as your vehicle closes the distance to a vehicle or other object ahead. It will make a warning sound. If the driver does not respond, the car can automatically self-brake.
This feature is widespread among car makers in Canada and is found in most EVs sold in Canada. You will be able to find it included as standard in most of the electric vehicle packages at no extra cost. For example, Tesla, Audi, Toyota, and Hyundai EVs offer this feature.
Lane Driving Assist
Lane departure warning signals when you are using audio queues once your car is drifting away from a lane without any proper input of a lane change, such as turning the steering wheel. Lane markers are monitored by the camera-based system. Lane-departure warning noises tell the driver when the car senses that it is veering off course. When these pings are not responded to, the vehicle can take it to the next level and take control of the car itself to shift the vehicle back into its lane to avoid any potential accident. The next move is made by the vehicle when a driver ignores the lane-departure warning. The car is nudged back into its lane by it. Finally, lane centring assist helps the vehicle always stay inside that lane, it’s much like a driver assist feature that allows the vehicle to always maintain the centre.
The Lane centring assisting feature can be found in the following electric vehicles in Canada as base feature: Audi e-Tron, Audi Q4 e-Tron, BMW iX, Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Bolt EV, Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Ford E-Transit, Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Hyundai Kona Electric, Jaguar I-Pace, Kia EV6, Kia Niro EV, Mercedes-Benz-EQ EQS, Mini Electric, Nissan Ariya, Nissan Leaf, Polestar 2, Porsche Taycan (warning only), Subaru Solterra, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X, Tesla Model Y, Toyota bZ4X, Toyota Mirai, Volkswagen ID.4, Volvo C40 Recharge, Volvo XC40 Recharge.
Driver Attention Monitor
When a driver is sleepy or preoccupied, the Driver Attention Monitor will assist in keeping an eye on them. These systems employ sensors to track the motion of the vehicle and the volume of steering linkages to determine whether the driver is operating the vehicle safely or if they are becoming fatigued from using their phones. If this occurs, the system will notify you visually or audibly and request that you take a break from driving. The more recent ones use cameras facing the driver to monitor sleepiness. Driver attention monitoring technology can be found in most Tesla EV models.
Parking assistance systems
When you are parking your car, sensors in the rear, front, and bumpers will alert you if there are any nearby obstructions, such as poles and walls. When they sense that you are moving at a parking speed. This will aid in secure parking that prevents collisions and vehicle damage. Vehicles that have sensors around the vehicle for collision warning and lane assist usually have the capacity to park themselves or assist in parking the vehicle.
Autopilot
An innovative driver assistance system called Autopilot improves comfort and safety while operating a vehicle. When used appropriately, autopilot lessens your overall workload as a driver. Autopilot can effectively drive the car by itself, reducing a great amount of human error that is present whenever driving for extended periods of time or in areas/conditions that can create a window for human error due to the nature of the roads. In these circumstances, a computer can carefully analyse everything around the vehicle and make better decisions than the driver. This feature can be found in electric vehicles such as the Tesla lineup, and as EVs become technologically more advanced, this feature can be found in more EVs that are available in Canada.
When buying an electric vehicle in Canada, plenty of models and EV automakers offer a full range of safety features that come standard in most EVs. Buying a safe electric vehicle in Canada is as simple as looking for the functions you need and considering what level of security and safety you desire. Overall, most electric vehicles nowadays come with essential safety features. Today’s EVs are equipped with many more safety features than what most electric vehicles would have offered five years ago. If you want to find the most safety features in an EV in Canada, the Tesla lineup is a great option with advanced technology and safety features for Canadian drivers.
Tesla EVs are engineered to be the safest in the world. Each Tesla EV combines sophisticated onboard technology with an all-electric architecture to help protect every driver, passenger and pedestrian on the road. At Carnex, you can get behind the wheel of a used Tesla for an affordable price. Now is the time to take a look at our Tesla portfolio and find an affordable way to join driving’s leading edge.
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