Lifesaving technology available in autos, but often only in luxury models

Computerized sensors that warn drivers they're about to rear-end another vehicle or prevent other types of accidents are available on models made by every major auto manufacturer.

The problem, according to a U.S. safety agency and accident-prevention advocates, is that these lifesaving technologies are optional equipment that makes its way onto a tiny minority of vehicles.

"We're not talking about the future. This is not flying cars," said Robert Molloy, director of the highway safety office at the National Transportation Safety Board, which called installation of such automation one of its "Most Wanted" safety enhancements. "This can be done."

Frustrated by last year's 7.2 percent jump in highway deaths to more than 35,000 — the steepest increase in 50 years — and the slow adoption of new technologies designed to address the problem, the NTSB has included several roadway safety issues on its Most Wanted list this year.

The agency is calling for action to reduce fatalities on multiple fronts: preventing distractions such as smartphone use, decreasing driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs, and driving down fatigue-related crashes. A unifying solution that addresses at least a portion of all these issues is the suite of new safety technology, the safety board said.

While fully autonomous cars are years away, sensors and computers have made incremental automation possible, NTSB board member Earl Weener said. For the moment, this new technology is mainly available only in luxury packages and not standard equipment.

The NTSB has no power to regulate and can only recommend safety improvements. It's recent emphasis on automation is because the technology has matured. "The focus is on commercially available technology," Weener said.

Devices can now sense when a vehicle is about to collide with another or an object on the road, issuing a warning to a driver. In some cases, these forward-collision warning systems are connected directly to a vehicle's brakes and can automatically slow or stop.

Other systems can follow a highway's lane markings and monitor whether it's safe to change lanes. Side-facing cameras or sensors can also warn when another car is in the blind spot. So-called adaptive cruise control will sense the speed of the vehicle ahead, speeding up or slowing down to maintain a safe distance.

The auto industry supports the new technology, but is concerned that including it as standard equipment immediately will drive up the costs of new cars, said Wade Newton, spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

"Automakers are marketing these technologies aggressively and hope customers will consider them," he said. "But in the end the final choice to purchase any of these technologies — and whether the cost impact moves the vehicle to a more expensive price range — really does rest with the customer."

The Alliance doesn't have data on costs of the new equipment, which is proprietary information for each manufacturer, Newton said.

While the safety agency is pleased with the agreement, it would prefer to see the devices in cars sooner, Weener said.