Electronic safety systems like forward collision and lane departure warnings are a welcome advancement in automotive safety, and are becoming increasingly more common on new cars. That's a trend we'd like to see continue, because we think such systems have the potential to help prevent serious crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
But if you've wanted to add these features without having to buy a whole new car to go with them, you've been out of luck - until recently.
A company called Mobileye has been quietly making big inroads into the market for these safety systems, and now is behind the forward collision and lane departure systems used by many major carmakers in 77 countries around the world. They also make an aftermarket version now available in automotive electronics and specialty stores.
Learn more about new vehicle safety technologies in our guide to car safety.
The Mobileye 560 can be installed on any vehicle, and uses a single camera discreetly mounted behind the inside rearview mirror to monitor the road ahead. A small display screen provides visual and audible warnings for lane departure, an impending forward collision, or a pedestrian or bicyclist ahead. Users can also opt to use their smartphone as a display. The Mobileye 560 can also read speed limit signs, and will issue a warning if a user-set speed threshold above the limit is exceeded. A headlight control dims high beams when it detects oncoming traffic.
System activation is automatic once the vehicle is started, although users have the option to turn off all features except forward collision warning. Collision warnings change color and become more urgent as danger increases, and the lane departure warning keeps quiet if a directional signal is used. The 560 retails for $849 plus installation, which a company representative said adds about $150-$200 for most cars.
We recently had a chance to go for a demo ride in a vehicle equipped with the Mobileye 560, and found it worked as advertised, with visual and audio alerts that were readily noticeable in the cabin.
We're impressed with what we've seen with the system so far, and are in the process of purchasing and having one installed on one of our test vehicles for further evaluation. We'll report back soon with an update, and how Mobileye performs both in controlled conditions at our test track and out on the road. Stay tuned.