And improvements to seat belts, pedal (脚踏) controls and tyres are making driving smoother and safer. The colour of a car has been found to be linked with safety, as have, less surprisingly, size and shape.
But whatever is in the fuel tank, you don’t want a thief in the driving seat and there have been many innovations (创新). Satellite tracking and remote communications can also come into play if you crash, automatically calling for help.Accidents cause many traffic jams, but there are more subtle interplays between vehicles that can cause jams even on a clear but busy road. Such jams can be analyzed using statistical tools. Robotic drivers could be programmed to make traffic flow smoothly and will perhaps one day be everyone’s personal chauffeur (司机), but their latest efforts suggest that won’t be soon.