Renault Safety
Road safety continues to be a serious public health concern and something Groupe Renault believes in whole-heartedly. The well-being of every Renault driver is a main priority which is reflected by all of the Renault safety features as standard, even on base models. This, combined with the goal of reducing mortality and anticipating the challenges of future mobility, Renault is at the forefront of vehicle and road safety. Here is a more detailed look at the Renault safety features that are designed to save lives today, and in the future.
Renault Safety Features
Renault follows a global approach with strict automotive manufacturing guidelines across all aspects of engineering and South Africa is no exception. Renault constantly develops new safety systems to help avoid accidents while protecting all vehicle occupants. As a result, the emphasis during development is firmly placed on improved prevention, anticipation and education without diminishing driver responsibility.
Your safety is Renault’s priority which is why they offer among the best Renault safety technologies to protect you and your family. Their commitment to vehicle safety is clearly shown by the fact that they have received the maximum Euro NCAP five-star rating on several occasions with Renault safety features such as:
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ESC (Electronic Stability Control), also known as ESP (Electronic Stability Program), helps drivers control the vehicle if it starts to move away from the original cornering line, but without removing the driver from the equation. The ESC on Renault models is further enhanced by an understeer control function that corrects understeer in emergency situations.
Active Emergency Braking System
The Active Emergency Braking System helps avoid or reduce the impact of collisions with other vehicles whether you are driving in the city or on the highway. It also detects pedestrians and cyclists at low speeds where the system sends a warning and takes control of braking if it deems you are not going to react in time when the radar detects a risk of collision.
Blind Spot Warning*
Active from approximately 10 km/h, the Blind Spot Warning system reduces the risk of collision. It automatically alerts you to if any vehicle is located in the non-visible area of your rearview mirror using warning lights.
Safe Distance Alert
Similar to the blind-spot warning system, there is also a sensor at the front of the vehicle. This is another handy Renault safety feature that senses the distance to the car in front and triggers an audible and visual warning if it detects a possible risk of collision with the vehicle in front.
Speeding Alert With Road Sign Recognition System
For added peace of mind, another innovative Renault safety system keeps you informed of the speed limit and alerts you if you are exceeding the speed limit. The system’s camera collects, analyses and compares the road sign data with the information provided by the mapping to provide feedback through the head-up display on the dashboard, albeit only on some models.
Fatigue Detection Alert
Fatigue is the cause of so many road accidents as it results in a lack of concentration which is extremely dangerous. This is one of the many Renault safety features that can help save lives as it analyzes your behaviour through the movements of the steering wheel. If necessary, it recommends a break with a visual and audible message through the dashboard so you can take a break, grab a bite to eat and stay safe.
Lane Departure Warning**
Vehicle safety technologies have come a long way in a short few years and the Lane Departure Warning is one such example. This Renault safety feature sends a visual signal and vibrates the steering wheel as a warning if you are about to change lanes unknowingly. Active above 70 km/h, this feature alerts you as soon as you cross an unbroken or broken line without using your indicator.
Lane Keeping Assistant
Along the same lines as the Lane Departure Warning is the Lane Keeping Assistant which automatically corrects your steering. This Renault safety feature applies force to the steering wheel to move your vehicle back into its original lane when you cross an unbroken or broken line without using your indicator.
LED headlights
While LED headlights may not be considered one of the Renault safety features, it does help prevent accidents from happening in the first place. It’s a known fact that driving at night reduces the driver’s ability to anticipate and that is directly determined by the range of the headlights. This is where LED headlights are beneficial as they are highly efficient, delivering twice the light and more than twice the range of normal halogen lights using the same power consumption.
Dedicated Cornering Lights
While model-dependent, another vital preventative safety system in Renault cars is dedicated cornering lights. When driving on winding roads, it’s often hard to see an obstacle on the inside of a bend using conventional headlights. The potentially life-saving difference here is the addition of cornering lights that light up the inside of a bend which also switch off automatically at high speed or when in reverse gear.
Renault’s Third-generation System for Restraint and Protection (SRP)
Groupe Renault’s goal is to create safer vehicles to ensure the well-being of the occupants and others at risk of road accidents. They continuously analyse observed risks to find innovative solutions including a third-generation System for Restraint and Protection (SRP).
Renault’s SRP is a unique safety innovation with a range of passenger protection systems including active anti-submarining airbags, high-performance rear impact absorbing seats and headrests, dual side impact sensors and advanced child safety systems.
Renault has been able to develop its own vehicle safety testing methods to provide child seats with the same level of protection as adult seats. For every new car, Renault ensures that every seat can be correctly fitted and that they meet the strictest protection requirements.
What Is ADAS?
Renault vehicles already have innovations such as ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) to reassure the driver, reduce the risk of accidents while improving the protection of all occupants and other road users. This includes the Highway and Traffic Jam Companion, which combines Adaptive Cruise Control (with the Stop&Go automatic stop and restart function) and Lane Centering Assist.
Traffic Jam Companion
We all know the frustration of sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on South African roads but Renault’s Traffic Jam Companion helps you to stay at the centre of the lane while managing speed in line with the traffic until it comes to a standstill. This advanced Renault safety feature gives the knowledge that you are in safe hands whether stuck on the highway or dense urban traffic.
Adaptive Cruise Control***
Adaptive cruise control, or ACC for short, is an enhancement of the conventional cruise control feature. It automatically adjusts the speed of your car to match the speed of the car in front of you. If that car slows down, Adaptive cruise control can automatically control the situation by setting and maintaining a minimum distance where it applies the brake when getting too close to the vehicle in front and the accelerator when the road is clear.
*Blind Spot Detection cannot prevent all accidents and it does not completely eliminate all blind spots.
**Lane Departure Warning only works when it can detect lane markings.
*** Adaptive cruise control should not be confused with autonomous driving technology and drivers should always pay close attention to the road whilst keeping their hands on the wheel at all times.
The Future Of Safety Features In Renault Cars
Renault’s ADAS serves as the base for the future autonomous vehicle and considering the issues related to road safety across the world, Renault’s continued commitment to improve the control of behaviour should provide much-needed peace of mind for all travellers.
The future looks set on security that will be more interactive with embedded technologies. These Renault safety features will improve how the vehicle detects the environment to alert the driver and anticipate the activation of safety systems faster and more accurately.