Mazda puts safety first in new models

MORE advanced safety technology, more power-train choices and a new, more refined interior are in store for the 2015 Mazda 6 and 2015 Mazda CX-5, which make their European motor show debuts in March in Geneva.

They are the first Mazdas with the company’s new Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH), an autonomous high-beam system with four independently controll-able blocks of LEDs per headlamp. To avoid impairing other motorists’ vision, it shuts off only the high-beam block, shining in the specific direction of an oncoming or preceding vehicle, leaving the remaining LEDs on for better night-time visibility.

ALH, which also features widened low-beam coverage and automatic levelling, includes the functionality of High Beam Control (HBC) and the Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), two systems currently available from Mazda.

The 2015 Mazda 6 and 2015 Mazda CX-5 are also equipped with several other new safety systems. Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) extends the existing Rear Vehicle Monitoring (RVM) system’s range while also adding Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), which warns the driver of approaching vehicles when reversing.

Lane-keep Assist System (LAS) provides steering torque assistance (among other things) to help prevent unintentional lane changes, thus complementing the Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS).

A first for Mazda, Driver Attention Alerts (DAA) monitors the driver’s condition and recommends a break if it detects a change in behaviour.

Smart City Brake Support Forward/Reverse (SCBS F/R), meanwhile, adds reverse gear functionality to the current SCBS system, which automatically applies the brakes if there is an increased collision risk.