Cadillac to Develop Crash-Proof Cars? Just Maybe...

A crash-proof car? Do you think it's possible? Cadillac is getting closer than ever to creating just that with its active safety technologies. Developed by John Capp, director for Global Active Safety for Cadillac and his team of engineers, inventors and futurists, some of these safety technologies are available now in the 2010 Cadillac DTS Platinum. They include:

• Lane departure warning – a camera-based lane detection system that warns the driver when he or she leaves their lane without signaling. The camera, mounted near the inside rearview mirror, identifies traffic lane markings and provides audible alerts.
• Blind spot alert – twin radar beacons that detect an object in a vehicle's blind zone and provide a visual warning in the outside side mirror.
• Adaptive cruise control – sensors detect objects in a vehicle's path and slow the vehicle down to avoid a collision.

John Capp says future Cadillac technologies could include in-vehicle Doppler radar to spot obstructions or traffic jams ahead. Looking even further out, Capp sees autonomous vehicles that can communicate with each other, traffic signals and buildings, pointing to a world where cars may actually drive themselves.

"We see things moving toward a point in the future where perhaps vehicles won't crash," said Capp. "We work on developing advanced safety technologies for Cadillac that alert drivers to potential dangers around them."