Is it truly possible for a car to be death-proof?

In Quentin Tarantino's 2007 film "Death Proof," a deranged driver named Stuntman Mike claims his 1970 Chevrolet Nova lives up to the movie's title: it's death-proof. For a safety-focused driver, this would be ideal. However, Stuntman Mike has little regard for safety—whether it's his passengers' or anyone else unfortunate enough to cross his path.

Mike has equipped the driver's side of his vehicle with a roll cage and a five-point seat belt to guarantee his survival during high-speed collisions. This is a wise move for Stuntman Mike, given his penchant for causing such crashes with gruesome outcomes.

Although the movie is fictional, it prompts an intriguing question: Could a car genuinely be made death-proof? Would it resemble Stuntman Mike's Nova, fortified with steel beams and unbreakable glass? Probably not. Instead, the future of car safety—and what might one day be considered a death-proof vehicle—leans more toward advanced technology than sheer physical reinforcement.

The most effective strategy for surviving a car crash is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Automotive engineers are diligently developing vehicles that safeguard passengers not just through reinforced steel frames (though most cars include these as well), but primarily through advanced technology designed to help drivers steer clear of accidents entirely.

Stuntman Mike's Chevy Nova is undeniably impressive. However, the death-proof vehicles of tomorrow are likely to resemble high-end models from Volvo, BMW, and Lexus rather than a classic American muscle car. Volvo, in particular, is leading the charge. As an active participant in the PReVENT safety research initiative, the automaker has pledged to deliver an injury-proof car by 2020 [source: Reuters]. Initially, these groundbreaking safety features will be available in luxury vehicles, with a gradual trickle-down to more affordable models over time.

Numerous elements of future accident prevention systems are already in existence. The real hurdle lies in integrating these components seamlessly.

Why will these advanced systems outperform human drivers in handling accidents? Discover more on the following page.

The Death-proof car

When humans feel fear, our bodies often freeze in response to danger, particularly during car accidents. Studies indicate that the average driver takes approximately 1.1 seconds to react before hitting the brakes [source: Fambro, et al]. While this may seem like a short time, reducing speed by just 10 mph before impact can decrease highway fatality rates by 50 percent, making that second crucial [source: Reuters]. Additionally, in 50 percent of rear-end collisions, the brakes are never engaged by the driver behind [source: Volvo].

Automotive safety engineers are operating on the idea that if vehicles can make informed decisions about potential crashes, accident rates will decrease. By eliminating human emotional reactions—or the lack of them—engineers are moving closer to creating a death-proof car.

While the term "death-proof" might not be entirely precise, as even the most advanced systems can fail, engineers at the PReVENT project are striving to design the most death-proof car possible. They are rethinking existing safety features in modern digital cars. Rather than simply providing drivers with information to avoid accidents, the aim is to enable these systems to make decisions on behalf of the driver.

One current safety innovation is the precollision prevention system, which employs lasers, infrared sensors, and cameras to identify obstacles on the road. It alerts drivers with warning lights and alarms, then prepares for impact by tightening seatbelts, activating airbags, and increasing brake pressure (sometimes even applying the brakes automatically). Another feature is blind spot detection, which monitors areas the driver cannot see, notifying them of nearby vehicles.

These features alert drivers to nearby potential hazards. PReVENT is advancing these systems to take control when a possible threat becomes an actual danger. The group is developing intelligent car systems that assess the situation from every angle—literally. While the driver may freeze in fear, the car will maneuver its way out of an accident.

PReVENT envisions a safer car that utilizes satellite navigation maps to identify challenging road conditions, such as sharp curves. The system will monitor blind spots for other vehicles, pedestrians, and obstacles, tracking their speed and direction. Using this data, the car's computer will determine the optimal response, whether it involves braking, swerving, or both [source: ICT Results]. In the future, navigation algorithms might even assess risks, such as choosing to avoid a pedestrian over a minor obstacle.

While a completely death-proof car may never exist, a vehicle designed to minimize injuries is highly achievable. Car accidents injure far more people than they kill; global auto fatalities total around 1.2 million annually, while injuries reach approximately 50 million [source: Reuters]. If PReVENT's technology is perfected and widely adopted, both figures could see a significant decline in the coming years.

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