New Technology in Windshields from General Motors to Aid Aging Drivers

Christy Thompson

Attorney
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General Motors is also using technology to help older drivers. The company's Human Machine Interface division is developing a windshield to help older drivers compensate for vision loss and slower reaction times. Images appear on the glass, similar to the lines drawn on a football field on TV to highlight plays.

The windshield can then draw an outline around a road sign or a pedestrian or the sides of the road in heavy fog. With infrared sensors, a small red icon of a deer could pop up just before the animal jumps in front of your car.

"It would highlight the location of the deer so you could take evasive action if you needed to," says GM's Thomas Seder.

It will be at least six years before this windshield comes to market. But other technologies are available now, like radar-assisted blind-spot detection. Of course, all this work doesn’t mean we’ll never have to retire the keys. But most of us may be able to keep driving more safely and for a lot longer than we do now.

In areas of Arizona such as Apache Junction, Queen Creek, Arizona City, and Maricopa where roads are often poorly lit, blind spot detection and the up-and-coming infrared-assisted windshield could help to reduce accidents on rural roads -- especially at night when visibility is low. Phoenix personal injury lawyers and safety advocates would be wise to follow the progress of these new technologies -- once released they could potentially lessen the number of fatal accidents.