The most important safety innovations of automotive history

Car Alarms - Should this be on the list? I don't really think the sound of car alarms deter any crooks for stealing your car. It might, but that is more associated with the deactivation of vital part than the actual alarm.

Traction Control Systems

LSD (Limited Slip Differential)

Four Wheel Drive

Airbags - They do prevent injury when used correctly, but they can cause injury as well.

Front Wheel Drive - You might be wondering why is front wheel drive higher on the list than 4wd.

ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) - Brakes are as powerful as they need to be for the passenger vehicle. The single most powerful force on just about all moving vehicles, but they have a limitation. Brakes resist the rotation of the wheel. On the other edge of the wheel is the tire, and that tire is the only thing spinning and preferable griping the ground. Upon braking, the tires are limited at a combination of a given speed and force. Beyond this limit the tires will slip (or lock up on braking). The maximum braking potential of a vehicle is the instant before lock up. A vehicle equipped with ABS will sense lock up and lessen the amount of braking power than apply it again repeatedly. This action not only decreases braking distance but also slightly improves the drivers control of the vehicle.


Roll Bar - In a roll over accident, you'd be dead without one. I am not just talking about open top vehicles too, the sedan or minivan you're driving has roll bars integrated into its structure. It's just one more of those things that you forget about but are there to protect you.

Windshield Wipers

Defroster

Head and Brake Lights -

4. Seat Belts - They save lives more than not. Keeping your torso strapped to your seat preventing your head from going through the windscreen upon a sudden stop.

3. Radial Tires - The current standard in tires today which grip, acceleration, and brake better than its cross and bias ply cousins. Invented by Michelin, the radial tire's design allowed it so proved a greater contact patch area. Radial tires are also less prone to blowouts (due both to design and quality at the time), and provided better gas mileage.

2. Mirrors - Another race car innovation that made it to the street. Mirrors give the driver a view of the sides and rear without taking a glance away from the forward direction of movement. The use of mirrors has probably prevented millions of accidents, property damage, injuries and deaths.

1. Safety Glass - The most important innovation of automotive history. Before the induction of safety glass, vehicles were made with normal glass that would shatter into sharp particles cutting all of the occupants inside or no glass at all. At an accident of any speed, the glass shards would accelerate into deadly pieces of shrapnel permanently maiming any soul left in its path. Without safety glass cars would not be in wide use as it would be today.

Stuff not on the list: Volvo's Lane departure warming system, heartbeat detection system