(Credit: Freescale) - The statistics are scary: Driver fatigue accidents injure 71,000 older adults each year and crashes are the #1 cause of death among American teens. Automotive safety technologies continue to improve, but when will zero fatalities become a reality? As the number one supplier of sensors for airbags, the number one supplier of semiconductors to North American vehicle manufacturers and a leader in many other global automotive semiconductor segments, Freescale is well positioned to help automotive manufacturers make a difference. We can’t do this alone. Working with manufacturers and technology partners we are beginning to see real change for the future of automotive today.

 

At this year’s FTF 2015 kickoff keynote, we showcased a video representing the true safety potential sensors, radar and ADAS can provide for drivers. The video featured an elderly couple on their way to visit family, traveling a long distance by car. The couple fell asleep at the wheel but before veering off the road, the driver safety systems kept them in the lane away from other cars before waking the driver with a loud beeping noise. The car was equipped with a sensor that could tell the driver was no longer focused on the road and took action to  correct that problem before anyone was hurt. This video was based on a true story that happened to the parents of a friend of a Freescale employee. Although a seemingly small feature, technologies like this are already saving lives today. You can watch it here:

Not only are ADAS innovations keeping drivers and those around them safer, technologies are enabling people to experience the world in new ways. At this year’s FTF keynote we had the privilege of hosting race car driver Sam Schmidt on our stage to tell his story. Sam was paralyzed in a racing accident in 2000, losing feeling from the neck down, and was told he would never drive again. A few years later Sam was approached by Freescale partner Arrow to create a car he would be able to drive using his head. Working with Freescale, partners, and the most innovative new technologies, Arrow succeeded in help Sam race again.

You can’t talk about automotive safety without mentioning the growing fear of hacking. As more and more cars add infotainment and ADAS features, the chances of vulnerabilities increase. While other companies push consumer grade technology, Freescale has been providing the automotive industry with automotive-grade silicon for over a decade and we have the unique position to understand the security needs of the industry from the inside out. John Capp, Director Safety Strategies and Vehicle Programs at General Motors, joined Gregg Lowe on stage during yesterday’s keynote to show how car manufacturers are taking security very seriously and working with automotive and digital networking teams at Freescale to make sure connections are safe and secure from the chip-level. Automotive security will begin to adopt the safety protocols of the Internet of Things, meaning stronger standards and protocols for all systems.

 

At FTF 2015 we’ve focused our presentations, workshops, and demos around the themes of security, usability, safety. With the help of our ecosystem partners and customers, zero automotive fatalities will become a reality.

- Written by Freescale Staff -

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