Edmunds.com Lists Top 10 High-Tech Car Safety Technologies

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--May 25, 2006--Car accidents are a leading cause of injury and fatality for Americans. Automakers and their suppliers are continually developing and introducing new features that combat the most common -- and most dangerous -- causes of car accidents. In a recent study by TRW Automotive Inc., 74 percent of respondents said vehicle safety features and options are more important to them than they were five years ago.

Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, today announces the top 10 safety technologies consumers should look for the next time they go car-shopping:

  1.  Tire Pressure Monitoring -- Sensors at the wheel trigger an 
      audible warning or light (or both) on the instrument panel when 
      air pressure is low. The National Highway Safety Administration 
      requires that starting in the 2008 model year, every passenger 
      vehicle weighing 10,000 pounds or less be equipped with a tire 
      pressure monitoring system.

  2.  Adaptive Cruise Control/Collision Mitigation -- This new cruise 
      control feature, employing sensors and radar, can adjust the 
      throttle and brakes to keep the vehicle a safe distance from 
      other traffic.

  3.  Blind-Spot Detection/Side-Assist/Collision Warning -- To alert 
      the driver to cars or objects in the blind spot during driving 
      or parking, this warning system responds when the turn signal is
      used.

  4.  Lane Departure Warning/Wake-You-Up Safety -- Similar to the 
      blind-spot/side-assist technology but with more range, this 
      system judges an approaching vehicle's speed and distance to 
      warn the driver of a potential danger in the next lane, and can 
      warn the driver who drifts over the lane line.

  5.  Rollover Prevention/Mitigation -- This technology avoids 
      potential rollovers by applying the brake and modulating the 
      throttle as needed to help the driver maintain control of the 
      vehicle.

  6.  Occupant-Sensitive/Dual-Stage Airbags -- Airbag deployment speed
      is based on the current occupant in each seat, as sensors take 
      into account size, weight, seat belt usage, seating position, 
      the presence of a child seat and vehicle speed.

  7.  Emergency Brake Assist/Collision Mitigation -- This technology 
      recognizes when the driver makes a panic stop and applies 
      additional quick brake pressure to help shorten the stopping 
      distance.

  8.  Adaptive Headlights/Night Vision Assist -- Adaptive headlights 
      turn to follow and illuminate the road in the direction of the 
      vehicle as it turns, and night vision assist helps the driver 
      see further down dark roads.

  9.  Rearview Camera -- This camera works with the navigation system 
      to increase visibility during rearward motion such as parking 
      and backing up.

  10. Emergency Response -- Different emergencies require different 
      responses. This system determines the necessary course of action
      and can turn on the interior lights, unlock doors, shut off the 
      fuel flow, switch on hazard lights, disconnect the battery 
      terminal from the alternator, and make crash details available 
      to emergency personnel.

To learn more about these features, including the automakers that offer them and their prices, view the full article on Edmunds.com's Top 10 High-Tech Car Safety Technologies at http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/114984/article.html.

About Edmunds.com, Inc.

Edmunds.com is the premier online resource for automotive information. Its comprehensive set of data, tools and services is generated by Edmunds.com Information Solutions and is licensed to third parties and used by over 15,000 cars dealers including 98 of the 100 dealers named to the Ward's Dealer Business "e-Dealer 100" list. Perhaps the most popular consumer product, Edmunds.com True Market Value(R) pricing, is relied upon by millions of people seeking market-reflective valuations for new and used vehicles. The company also supplies content for the auto sections of NYTimes.com, AOL, CNN.com and About.com; provides weekly data to Automotive News; and delivers monthly data reports to Wall Street analysts. In addition, Edmunds.com publishes Inside Line (www.insideline.com), a free high-speed online magazine for auto enthusiasts, and CarSpace (www.carspace.com), an automotive lifestyle social networking Web site for anyone with an interest in automobiles. Edmunds.com was named "Best Car Research Site" by Forbes ASAP, has been selected by consumers as the "Most Useful Web Site" according to every J.D. Power and Associates New Autoshopper.com Study(SM), was ranked first in the Survey of Car-Shopping Web Sites by The Wall Street Journal and was rated number one in Keynote's study of third-party automotive web sites. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit.