When hunting for the perfect family vehicle, safety is often top of the list. Customers want their vehicle to be in budget, have enough space, and stay as safe as possible on the road. All new models must pass specific safety checks before they hit the market, and the task of the euroNCAP is to use such safety ratings to provide a reliable comparison of results.

In recent years car manufacturers have raised the publicity of vehicle safety features; in 2005, only 1% of motorists knew of ESP. An understanding of the safety features available makes for a more informed decision when buying a vehicle.

VW SHARAN

As far as large MPVs go, the VW Sharan is one of the safest vehicles on the market. Whilst the car has been criticised for lacking exciting aesthetics, in 2010 the euroNCAP awarded the VW Sharan a five star rating. Adult occupant protection was rated an impressive ninety six percent, with a host of additional safety features. The VW Sharon comes with electronic stability control and seatbelt reminders for all of the seven seats. The rear five seats fold away into the floor of the vehicle to provide a large loading space when carrying fewer passengers. A Park Assist 'self parking' system is also available as an optional extra. A new VW Sharan can be bought for around £23,500.

Citroen C5

.

The Citroen C5 five door hatchback scored eighty three percent in the euroNCAP test for Safety Assistance. The seatbelt reminder system has been updated to only warn the front passenger once a seatbelt has been initially buckled, so passengers who are unbuckled at the start of a journey are not warned by the system. In addition, the vehicle lacks side body and driver knee airbags. However, the Citroen C5 has developed other safety features that are missing in previous models. Electronic Stability Control reduces the chance of losing control of the vehicle on wet or icy terrain. A speed limitation device is also available, which can be adjusted by the driver to avoid safety risks and unwanted speeding tickets. Unfortunately, the car may not be suitable for larger families due to the reduced passenger capacity compared with a seven seat car. A new Citroen C5 will set you back around £24,000, with many reduced price and cash back deals on offer

Chevrolet Orlando

As with the Citroen C5, the Chevrolet Orlando includes an Electronic Stability Control system as standard. It also benefits from the 'self parking' system featured on the VW Sharan. The model includes six airbags; the standard two front airbags as well as protection of the thorax, pelvis and neck. The structure of the vehicle is also designed to cope well should a collision occur, with zones intended to absorb the impact of collision and a reinforced safety cage to protect passengers. Prices start at around £16,500, once again with a host of car deals available for those on tighter budgets.

The vast number of vehicle safety features on offer shows that for motorists, safety is an important factor when buying a car. Keeping up to date with the latest technologies is the most effective way to ensure you get the best deal on your new vehicle, and remain as protected as possible on the road.

Vehicle tracking system has proved to be one of the most beneficial technologies developed in the field of vehicle security. The system uses GPS (Global Positioning System) technology to locate the car. Radio or satellite positioning tracks the current position of a car. This helps in locating the vehicle and has reduced the number of cars being stolen by undermining the confidence of thieves.

The vehicle tracking system includes the installation of an electronic device or a transmitter in the vehicle with computer software to track the vehicle’s location which can be viewed on electronic maps through internet or specialized software. The system is also popular as a prevention and retrieval device for the consumer vehicles. It also helps in the security system of the vehicles with some of them transmitting an automatic alert to a phone or email if an alarm is triggered so that the necessary action is taken. So even if your car is stolen, you can locate it with the help of technology and police to retrieve it successfully.

Car tracking systems have helped the fleet owners largely in monitoring their cars and equipment. The software provides idle time reporting, stop locations and durations, mileage by state reports, total mileage, speed evaluation, reporting by employee groups, animated track playback, and detailed daily driver log reports.

The technology also finds applications in stolen vehicle recovery, fleet management, asset tracking, field service management, field scales, trailer tracking, and surveillance. Another non conventional use of the system is in the hospitality industry where luxury hotels use it to track the vehicles of VIPs to ensure they welcome them on their arrival.