Key Reminders About Vehicle Safety Features:

A car safety feature is any feature that helps minimize the risk of an accident or reduce the effects of a collision on the vehicle’s occupants. It encompasses everything from crumple zones to antilock brakes to adaptive cruise control with full braking. A recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a coalition of carmakers concludes that advanced safety features, such as forward collision alert and automatic emergency braking, reduce the risk of a serious crash by 49% while lowering the risk of injury by 53%.

Our car safety features guide walks you through modern automotive safety tech. If you’re looking to buy a new or used car, safety may be top of mind. Fun fact: For many decades, automakers fiercely resisted prominently marketing safety features to the public. For example, seat belts came into being in the 1930s but didn’t move to the forefront of safety design until the early 1960s. Carmakers refused to include them for years, fearing the negative safety message that installing seat belts would send. Today, however, car companies are just as likely to advertise their safety features as they do fuel economy, technology, or performance.

If you’re in the market for a vehicle, or just want to learn more about what’s available, browse our features groupings below, which will walk you through the many aspects and applications of modern car safety features.

Passive and Structural Protection Features

For the most part, the government mandates standard safety features. It’s a long list of devices and attributes, many of which are commonly known. That’s because the government creates safety standards for everything from a car’s structural framework to its tires. The government’s best-known auto safety arm is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA. The not-for-profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is the other best-known North American arbiter of car safety. These are the most common passive and structural features that help protect drivers and passengers without requiring driver input.

Although front-seat head restraints have been mandatory in passenger cars since 1969, active head restraints are not. Not every head restraint is an active head restraint. Saab pioneered the widespread use of active head restraints in 1998, with Volvo close behind.

Different methods can achieve the action of an active head restraint, but essentially, it moves the head restraint up and forward during a rear-end collision. The action helps prevent the head from snapping back, reducing the risk of whiplash.

Mandatory in 1999 for all passenger cars, light trucks, and vans (front seat).

Today, most new cars and SUVs offer at least six airbags. Some boast a lot more. For instance, the Toyota Camry comes with 10 airbags.

The federal mandate for airbags only extends to the front seats. However, carmakers continue developing additional airbags. Some cars have front knee airbags, center airbags that deploy between occupants in the same row, and even panoramic-roof airbags.

They aren’t perfect, but airbags do much more good than harm. The IIHS found that front airbags reduce driver fatalities in frontal crashes by 29% and reduce fatalities among front-seat passengers aged 13 and older by 32%.

Airbags inflate during a frontal crash to prevent a person from coming into contact with a vehicle’s hard surfaces. Sensors at the front of a vehicle measure and respond to frontal collisions.

If the crash force is sufficient to warrant airbag deployment, the sensors transmit a signal to the igniter in the airbag inflator. This signal triggers a chemical reaction, producing a gas, usually a mixture of helium and argon, that rapidly inflates the airbag.

The inflation of an airbag works like a controlled explosion; the gas fills the bag in less than one-twentieth of a second at a force of up to 200 mph. Such force can even affect a healthy adult, let alone a child or an older adult. Consequently, government safety experts say a person needs to create at least 10 inches of space between themself and a frontal airbag. So, for safety reasons, the back seat is the best place for younger children.

However, many newer vehicles now offer technology to detect the presence of occupants and measure their weight and position in the seat. Such systems can then reduce the force of airbag deployment to minimize injury.

Side-curtain airbags protect the head and neck during rollovers and side impacts, while torso-protecting side-impact airbags round out the six airbags found in most new cars.

Foundation Active Safety and Vehicle Control Features

Modern mainstream vehicles come equipped with different baseline systems that help the car maneuver safely. These features affect how a vehicle stops, stabilizes, and maintains traction, as well as alerting drivers to important maintenance needs, such as tire pressure issues.

Mandatory in 2000 for all new passenger cars.

Sensors placed in each wheel act as monitors that report speed, grip, and other performance factors. They constantly send updates to your car’s computer. Each sensor also communicates with and controls the brake device on each wheel. This is the foundation for your car’s antilock braking system (ABS).

There is a misconception that ABS increases braking force, leading some to believe it helps a vehicle stop more quickly. Although somewhat shorter stops are a byproduct of ABS, it’s engineered to help a driver maintain steering control during emergency braking.

When braking for an emergency, such as a pedestrian stepping in front of you or the vehicle ahead coming to an abrupt, unexpected stop, our knee-jerk reaction is to push the brake pedal to the floor. When this happens without ABS, the brakes lock up, your wheels stop rotating, and you begin to slide.

Newton’s first law of motion is that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. That is, even with its brakes fully locked, your vehicle will continue in the direction it was moving. Depending on the vehicle’s weight and speed, it might continue to slide forward for 100 feet or more.

Moreover, your steering control is zero when your brakes are locked, and the wheels are no longer rotating. Turning the steering wheel in one direction or the other will not alter the direction of the slide. In this instance, your only hope is that the slide will peter out before you strike the object you are trying to avoid.

Advanced driving schools once taught the technique of rapidly pumping the brakes during an emergency stop. This would still eventually stop the vehicle, but the pumping motion also allowed some wheel rotation, providing enough steering control to avoid the object you were trying to avoid.

Antilock brakes electronically pump the brakes for you during emergency braking. With the brake pedal depressed to the floor, you can feel the shudder of the ABS working through the brake pedal.

The pumping motion of antilock brakes will help you stop somewhat more quickly. However, the most significant benefit is retaining steering control. Here’s the best part: Your vehicle’s computer can pump the brakes more quickly and effectively than you can. Therefore, on cars with antilock brakes, push the brake pedal with all your might and concentrate on steering yourself out of trouble.

Antilock brakes are a crucial component of traction control and electronic stability control, detailed below.

Collision Warning and Automatic Avoidance Features

Cutting-edge technologies thrive in collision avoidance. Everyone wants to be safe and avoid accidents. Many of the driver aids listed here result from the race to develop fully self-driving vehicles. While we may still be decades away from cars without steering wheels and pedals zipping around on accident-free streets, we continue to reap the rewards of ever-changing safety technology as carmakers work toward that goal.

Lane, Speed, and Road Management Features

While drivers need to be alert and aware of what’s happening around them on the road at all times, several technologies and safety features provide added assistance with driving instances such as managing following distance, responding to road information, and helping the vehicle stay positioned properly.

Visibility, Awareness, and External Alerts

Visibility is crucial to safe driving. Safety features in this area help improve what the driver can see and detect, and how noticeable the vehicle is to others. Advancements in driving at night have gone beyond LED and projector-beam headlight technologies, and features like head-up displays (HUDs) help keep drivers’ eyes off screens and on the road

Driver, Occupant, and Convenience Safety Features

Features such as rear occupant detection and safe exit provide additional layers of protection for drivers and passengers. At the same time, other systems help monitor driver or occupant conditions and can assist with low-speed maneuvers, such as parking.

Editor’s Note: We have updated this article since its initial publication. Russ Heaps contributed to this report.

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Rivian’s More Attainable EV Finally Takes Shape

The R2’s specs may have leaked early, but the official reveal shows there’s a lot more to this electric SUV than what first hit the internet.

The R2 is a big deal for Rivian. While the R1T pickup and R1S SUV helped establish the brand, both sit firmly in premium territory with prices well north of $70,000. The R2 is meant to be the more mainstream offering – something for buyers who want Rivian’s design and capability but can’t quite stretch their budget to the larger models.

First out of the gate is the R2 Performance with Launch Package, starting at $57,990. It’s a limited-run setup, but Rivian didn’t hold back on features or capability.

Standard kit covers semi-active suspension, a premium cabin with birch wood accents, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a 975-watt Rivian Premium Audio system. There are also some Launch Package-only details, like Compass Yellow brake calipers and unique trim pieces.

Now that the full specs are out, there’s plenty to unpack.

Performance, Range, and Capability

In Performance trim with Launch Package, the R2 comes with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that produces 656 horsepower and 609 lb-ft of torque. Rivian estimates the SUV can sprint from 0–60 mph in 3.6 seconds, which places it firmly in performance EV territory. Highway acceleration looks strong, with the company quoting a 50–70 mph time of just 1.55 seconds.

The Performance model is expected to deliver up to 330 miles of EPA-estimated range. The R2 comes with a native NACS charge port, meaning it can plug directly into Tesla’s Supercharger network. Other charging networks are supported through a CCS adapter.

Despite being smaller and lighter than the R1 models – nearly 2,000 pounds lighter, according to Rivian – the R2 still carries serious off-road credentials. Key specs include:

• 9.6 inches of ground clearance
• 25-degree approach angle
• 26-degree departure angle
• Up to 4,400 pounds of towing capacity

Drive modes cover the basics – All-Purpose and Conserve – but also branch out to Snow, All-Terrain, Soft Sand, and Rally. The Performance trim even gets its own Launch Mode for maximum acceleration.

Adventure-Focused Design and Practical Interior

Design-wise, the R2 keeps Rivian’s signature look – oval headlights, full-width light bar – but the shape is more compact and city-friendly. At 185.9 inches long and with a 115.6-inch wheelbase, it sits below the R1S in the lineup.

Rivian is introducing several new exterior colors specifically for the R2, including Catalina Cove, Esker Silver, and Half Moon Grey. These join existing shades such as Midnight, Glacier White, and Forest Green.

Wheels range from 19-inch all-seasons to 21-inch range-focused designs. There’s also a 20-inch all-terrain package with BF Goodrich tires for anyone planning to leave the pavement behind.

Inside, the cabin sticks to Rivian’s minimalist style but adds natural materials and practical touches for adventure. Higher trims get two premium interior themes:

• Black Crater Signature, inspired by volcanic rock tones
• Coastal Cloud Signature, a lighter palette with airy textures

R2 storage is generous at 90.1 cubic feet, with a 5.2-cubic-foot front trunk that fits a carry-on and a backpack. The rear drop glass window is a highlight – it drops fully into the liftgate, so you can slide in longer gear like surfboards or lumber without leaving the tailgate open.

Software-Heavy Technology

The R2 uses an updated electrical architecture that supports more computing power and future over-the-air updates. Rivian says the vehicle will continue gaining new features long after delivery. A multi-sensor perception system includes 11 HDR cameras with a combined 65 megapixels, along with a five-radar setup for driver assistance systems.

The available Autonomy+ driver assistance suite supports hands-free driving across more than 3.5 million miles of roads in the US and Canada. Buyers can subscribe for $49.99 per month or purchase the feature outright for $2,500.

Rivian also redesigned the steering wheel, adding haptic halo dials that mix physical controls with tactile feedback for adjusting settings.

Inside the cabin, drivers get two main displays: a driver screen behind the steering wheel and a larger central infotainment display. The vehicle also includes 200 TOPS of edge AI computing power, which Rivian plans to use for future features, including its upcoming in-vehicle voice assistant.

Other R2 Trims and Pricing

Beyond the Launch Edition Performance model, Rivian has confirmed additional trims for the R2 lineup, as revealed in the leaked info.

The R2 Premium arrives later in 2026, starting at $53,990. It uses a dual-motor AWD setup producing 450 hp and 537 lb-ft, with a 0–60 mph time of 4.6 seconds and up to 330 miles of range.

A more affordable R2 Standard follows in 2027, starting at $48,490. This version features a single-motor rear-wheel-drive layout with 350 hp, a 5.9-second 0–60 time, and up to 345 miles of estimated range.

Rivian also plans an even cheaper Standard variant later in 2027, priced around $45,000 and with more than 275 miles of range, squarely competing against Tesla Model Y Premium trims.

Still Cheaper Than the R1 Lineup

Just in case you’re wondering where the R2 sits in Rivian’s pricing ladder, the Launch Edition is not exactly an affordable EV, but it is still well below the company’s current models. The cheapest R1S currently listed in Rivian’s inventory starts at $76,990, and that’s for a Dual Standard configuration. That gap highlights the role the R2 will play in Rivian’s lineup as the more attainable entry point to the brand.

Deliveries for the R2 Launch Edition begin in Spring 2026. Reservations are already open with a $100 refundable deposit.

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As Kelley Blue Book celebrates 100 years, we couldn’t resist looking back at the car that dominated the scene a century ago: the Ford Model T. From 1908-1927, Ford built and sold more than 15 million examples of the Model T. In the process, the company altered the automotive landscape forever with engineering and manufacturing innovations that reshaped how cars were made — and who could afford them. The Model T’s legacy still echoes in today’s modern vehicles.

From 1920-1926, the Model T accounted for nearly half of all automobile sales, making it the most popular car in America 100 years ago. Fast forward a century, and which vehicle now claims that kind of dominance? Ford still came out on top in the U.S. in 2025 with its F-series, but in electric vehicles (EVs), Tesla’s Model Y took the crown.

To get a clearer sense of the of the past century’s transformation, let’s explore which Model T ideas persist today in modern EVs like the Model Y. With the help of the California Automobile Museum’s Model T collection and the Pit Crew (the volunteer experts who maintain the museum’s collection), we identified several features and engineering principles that have evolved over the past century yet still show up today.

1926 models and 2026 models may look like utterly different cars, and in many ways, they are. However, a closer look reveals what has been preserved, refined, and reimagined to meet the demands of a changing world.

Left-Hand Drive Enters the Scene 

The Model T shipped to its first customer on Oct. 1, 1908. One of its simplest and most striking features? Left-hand drive (sometimes called “left-hand steering”), with the operator seated on the left side of the vehicle. Early car models almost exclusively employed right-hand drive, with a few exceptions. For example, early Knox automobiles, circa 1900-1905, employed left-hand drive, though these cars used a tiller rather than a wheel. Left-hand drive works best for right-hand traffic, especially on bidirectional roads.

It wasn’t until the Model T, however, that left-hand drive became standard for American cars. The design made entering and exiting the car easier and safer. A century later, today’s Model Y may have sleeker door handles, but drivers still steer on the left, and passengers still step out onto the curb, not into traffic (though right-hand-drive models are available in countries like the United Kingdom and Japan that drive on the left).

Transmission Transformations 

“One of the most interesting aspects of the Model T is the transmission,” said Richard Markwell, California Automobile Museum Model T expert and Pit Crew member. “It uses a planetary gear system, which is the gear system that’s very close to what you still have in your automatic transmission today.”

The Model T’s pioneering 2-speed transmission featured an outer ring gear, a central “sun” gear, and multiple “planet” gears working concurrently to provide a smoother shifting experience. Cotton or wood bands clamped around drums controlled the gear ratios. The Model T used a hand lever for throttle, and three foot pedals: one to shift between low/neutral/high, one for reverse, and one for braking.

Driving a Model T required constant manual input from the driver. Markwell, who also teaches Model T driving classes at the museum, explained that even drivers long-accustomed to modern manual transmissions have to adjust to the Model T’s unique control layout. “I had a ball with someone who’d been driving trucks all his life,” said Markwell. “He’d come up to a stop sign, and he’d push that clutch all the way down to be in neutral. Well, with this car, nope, he’s in low gear!” Don’t worry; Markwell assures us that once you get the hang of it, you can get your Tin Lizzie quite safely on down the road. 

Jump ahead 100 years, and the transmission on a Model Y looks like something entirely new, but parts of its lineage trace back to early transmission innovation. The original Tesla Roadster shipped with multi-speed gearboxes, but they weren’t optimal. Over time, EVs gravitated toward fixed-gear, single-speed, direct-drive setups that better suit electric motors’ high-torque outputs. Now, no shifting is needed, and drivers can manage many settings automatically, often via a screen.   

Differential Convergences and Divergences 

To manage power distribution to the wheels during turns, both the Model T and Model Y employ differential gears. With 100 years between them, the implementations look different, but the core idea — allow left and right wheels to rotate at different speeds — remains virtually the same.

The Model T had an open rear-wheel differential assembly containing a ring-and-pinion set, axle shafts, and spider gears. This setup allowed the rear wheels to rotate at different speeds in a turn, but it could struggle on slippery surfaces, sending power to the wheel that had the least resistance. Some models used worm-gear differentials for increased power.

The Model Y evolves this piece of engineering while also using open differentials. Depending on the variant, this may apply to either or both axles. Tesla uses a sealed “drive unit” that houses the motor, gearbox, and differential together. It’s a highly computerized unit that manages torque efficiently, and the mechanical underpinnings of the differential aren’t worlds apart from their forebears in the Model T. 

Getting in Shape: Body Evolution 

Early Model T examples primarily used wood framing and strong, lightweight vanadium-alloy steel body panels that could flex to absorb the bumps of rough roads. The cars also prominently featured brass in elements, including radiator shells, headlamps, and hubcaps, until about 1915.

As World War I began, materials were redirected to war efforts and munitions, effectively ending the Model T’s “Brass Era” and ushering in an era of black-painted steel parts. This also coincided with Ford’s famous line, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it’s black.” Prior to 1914, the Model T had been available in a variety of paint colors. 

While the Model Y uses very different materials, we can see a similar engineering philosophy to meet its needs. Where Ford used vanadium-alloy steel for its flexibility and affordability, Tesla uses a mix of lightweight aluminum and high-strength steel to achieve similar goals of reduced mass and improved safety.

Manufacturing, Mass Production, and Assembly Line 

Ford built his first internal combustion engine in 1893. “They call it the ‘kitchen sink engine’ because he made it in his kitchen sink,” Markwell said. “From there, Ford failed at a number of business attempts until the Model T.” With that vehicle, Ford helped revolutionize automobile manufacturing and assembly.  

In 1913, Ford created his moving assembly line, combining interchangeable parts, subdivided labor, and the movement of materials down the line. Consequently, the Model T, while undergoing modifications over the years, remained largely the same as its early models. “He really wanted to keep to the basics the same for as long as he could so that he could improve his profit margin on the automobile and keep the cost low for buyers,” Markwell said.  

Ford was also known for contracting out certain parts to specialized suppliers who could stamp fenders or hoods, for example, rather than doing it in-house. It was relatively unheard of at the time, but by contracting out some parts to specialty suppliers, he cut costs dramatically. Henry Ford wanted to put the “Ford” in “affordability.” The productivity and price cuts enabled by these methods inspired wide adoption of his approach across the industry. A century later, mass-production logic and assembly-line methods remain the industry standard.

While Tesla has been exploring other assembly methods in recent years, most of the Model Y’s production life has still relied on moving assembly-line concepts, refining them with automation, and continually improving computerization. For example, the Model Y assembly line was reduced by about 10% by mounting the front seats and interior module onto the battery pack, which sits on the floor. The entire unit is then brought into the vehicle’s body from below. This method provides more room for teams to work on different parts of the car simultaneously.  

With the Model T, Ford developed the blueprint that is still in use today and will continue to evolve alongside new milestones in manufacturing. 

The Spirit of Innovation 

Despite the century between them, Ford’s Model T and Tesla’s Model Y reshaped the automotive landscapes in which they reigned. A certain pioneering spirit dwells at the hearts of these behemoths of automotive engineering.

“Ford wanted the people who built the cars to be able to afford them,” said Markwell. “Most of the time before that, businesses didn’t care. They just wanted their prices higher and higher because it was feeding their table, not everybody else’s. Ford paid his people well, kept his prices down, and he did this partly by not mandating constant changes in production.”  

It’s a vision that’s still relatable 100 years later, as it can feel harder to find consumers’ interests at the center of business practices. Ford shaped the Model T around the people for whom he was building it. In this simple mission, he created an automotive empire that remains dominant today.

Similarly, Tesla’s vision for EVs, particularly its Model Y, has radically altered the automotive industry. It has used Ford’s manufacturing methods as a springboard for innovations like “megacasting,” replacing dozens of parts with a single large cast aluminum piece to simplify production. Very recently, Ford has signaled interest in similar casting (described as “unibody casting”) for its own next-generation EV efforts. The Model Y’s continuing advances have set the pace for many of its EV competitors.

Here’s to 100 More Years 

There’s a century between them, but the Model T and the Model Y are two cars that helped to shape everything between and much of what’s to come. In the next 100 years, we hope the industry continues to fuse the motivations at the foundations of these two seminal models — a mission of affordability and a continuing push toward technological breakthroughs that will keep all of us driving safely and smoothly into the future.

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