Automotive and Insurance Industry News-March 10, 2004

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Automotive and Insurance Industry News

Siemens Debuts Vehicle Blind Spot Detection Technology

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 9/ -- Even with rearview and side-view mirrors, most drivers still struggle with blind spots in traffic. Siemens VDO Automotive's new Blind Spot Detection System (BSDS) can help drivers keep their eyes on the road, while warning them when a vehicle is approaching and passing through blind spots.

BSDS uses radar sensors mounted to the back of the rear wheels and the outside of the vehicle, which detect objects approaching the driver's blind spot area. Each sensor uses two overlapping radar beams to cover the observation zone and reliably detect objects traveling at high speeds.

DuPont Performance Coatings Wins 2004 Auto Industry PACE Award

DETROIT, March 9 / -- DuPont Performance Coatings has received the Automotive News PACE Award for a unique "wet-on-wet" coatings system that enables two-tone styling in one pass through the paint line for Ford Super Duty Trucks. The new technology saves costs and boosts assembly line output of the fast-selling F-250 and F-350 pick-up trucks.

The Automotive News PACE Awards are given annually by Automotive News, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and Transportation Research Center Inc. The award recognizes supplier innovation in process and product.

State Farm and the NYLC Launch Teen Safe Driving Campaign

MINNEAPOLIS, March 9 / -- State Farm and the National Youth Leadership Council have announced the launch of a new nationwide service: Project Ignition ’05 – a learning project for high school students. For 2005, the topic is Teen Driver Safety – a particularly appropriate choice as car crashes are the #1 killer of teens.

Project Ignition is an opportunity for students and teachers in various classes to work together to create a public awareness campaign for their school and/or community on the subject of Teen Driver Safety.

Continental is Developing a Car That Can Help Avoid Accidents

DETROIT, March 9 / -- Continental has started work on a car of the future that will feature electronic reflexes that will help drivers maintain control and avoid accidents. Their APIA (Active Passive Integration Approach) project relies on data interchange between all of the active and passive safety systems that collect information on the activities of the driver, the behavior of the vehicle, and the status of the driving environment. The key component of APIA is the danger control module. For any given situation, this module computes a hazard potential which reflects the current accident risk.