Guide and tips
Navigation system, parking aid or heated seats: modern cars offer numerous extras that can increase comfort and safety. However, not every optional extra pays off in the long term. In our guide, you can find out which equipment features really make sense, what you should look out for when buying a car and which extras also play a role when reselling.
Since 7 July 2024, all new vehicles must be equipped with driver assistance systems in accordance with an EU regulation. This regulation, which has been in force since 6 July 2022, concerns the type approval of motor vehicles and their safety systems.
The range of extras in car brochures is becoming more and more extensive. No wonder, as more and more people are spending a lot of time in their cars and are therefore prepared to pay more for additional safety and extra comfort.
According to EU standards, some safety-relevant optional extras must now even be offered as standard, such as the ESP electronic stability programme. Other advanced electronic components are becoming cheaper and cheaper due to high production volumes and are therefore increasingly being fitted as standard by manufacturers in compact and small cars. However, many extras are still only offered for higher vehicle classes or only as a package with other extras.
TÜV NORD Mobilität is continuously working on optimising the testing of electronic driver assistance systems as part of the general inspection. We are currently developing testing technologies with which we can efficiently test all safety-relevant control units and intelligent sensors on the vehicle via an interface.
ESP = ElectronicStability Programme
If a vehicle threatens to skid, the ESP keeps the car on course by braking individual wheels in a targeted manner, thus ensuring that the driver remains in control.
Skidding is one of the main causes of serious road accidents. ESP can prevent around 80 per cent of all skidding accidents.
ASR = anti-slip control
The traction control system regulates the engine power if the wheels start to spin when there is too much throttle.
If necessary, ASR intervenes in the engine management, reduces the throttle supply and brakes the driven wheels until they have enough grip again and maximum power can be applied to the road.
ASR also enables optimum acceleration with less tyre wear.
If you only look briefly in the mirror when changing lanes, you can easily miss someone. The lane change assistant warns of vehicles in the blind spot.
It keeps an eye on the area next to and diagonally behind the vehicle at all times and helps to reduce the risk of accidents when overtaking and changing lanes.
Driving in heavy traffic and maintaining the correct safety distance from the vehicle in front requires a high level of concentration and attention from the driver.
The distance control system automatically maintains the safe distance and adapts the speed to the flow of traffic. This allows the driver to concentrate better on the current traffic situation.
Poor visibility in the dark and against the light often leads to accidents because hazards are often recognised too late.
The night vision assistant extends the range of vision of conventional headlight systems. Two infrared headlights at the front of the car illuminate the road for up to 150 metres.
An infrared camera uses the light invisible to the eye to project a high-resolution black-and-white image onto a monitor in the dashboard. This gives the driver a better overview of the traffic situation at night than with the dipped headlights alone.
An innovative combination of sensors recognises both wetness and black ice: an optical sensor detects ice and wetness based on the reflection on the road surface.
A laser scanner detects raindrops and snowflakes up to 100 metres away. Sensors on the tyres detect the risk of aquaplaning.
In addition, two thermostats measure the temperature of the road surface and the ambient temperature. All available information is then linked with the data from the ESP. A processor then calculates the grip of the tyres and the road.
The black box cannot be deactivated and must be installed in both semi-autonomous and fully autonomous vehicles.
Safety: The black box provides a detailed record of accidents, enabling accurate reconstruction in the event of an incident.
Efficiency: By analysing vehicle data, problems can be detected and rectified at an early stage, leading to improved vehicle performance.
Transparency: You gain insight into your own driving behaviour, allowing you to optimise your driving habits to improve safety and save fuel.
Yes, it is possible to retrofit a black box to a car.
In this case, contact a specialised workshop to ensure that the Event Data Recorder is installed correctly and complies with the applicable regulations.