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y Safety Alert Seat – Cadillac A seat that vibrates to alert the driver of safety threats. Comes standard on the 2013 Cadillac XTS luxury sedan. The tech: A computer network The benefits: "An audio or video sends a pulse to the left or right side alert can be missed, especially if the of the seat – or both sides if the danger music is loud or the driver is using is coming from the front or rear – to earbuds. It's hard to ignore a kick in alert the driver to potential dangers, the butt," says Wilson, laughing. such as the vehicle drifting out of its And the sooner a driver can recognize lane or imminent risk of a collision. a hazard, the more quickly he or she The system gathers data from ultra- can react. In the future, notes Wilson, sonic sensors, radar and cameras to these types of technologies may analyze surroundings and spot poten- evolve to the point that drivers aren't tial hazards. part of the equation at all. GM, for one, estimates that fully autonomous, Cadillac's safety alert seat gives drivers a buzz on the left or right side if the vehicle is drifting out of its lane without the turn signal activated. self-driving vehicles could be available as early as the next decade. Zero-Gravity Seat – Nissan An ergonomic seat that emulates a weightless environment. A six-way manual-adjusting version comes standard on the 2013 Altima base model. Power-adjustable versions appear in the Altima SV and SL. The tech: "Nissan used research done The benefits: Running off the road – by NASA in zero gravity to better under- often associated with fatigue – is the stand a human's natural posture," said most common driver error resulting in Tim Franklin, senior manager of product death, and the second-highest cause of planning for Nissan Canada. Then it driver injury, in Alberta. The zero-gravity teamed up with the Yamazaki Laboratory seat aims to help keep drivers fresh and at Japan's Keio University, which special- alert for longer, which should keep them izes in ergonomically designed furniture. safer as a result. The result is a seat that provides continu- Comfy! Nissan's zero-gravity seat, available in the 2013 Altima. ous support from the pelvis up to the chest, increasing blood flow and reducing strain on back muscles and the spine, which in turn reduces driver fatigue. LEARN MORE For resources on buying new and used vehicles, and leasing and importing, visit Nissan used zero-gravity research from NASA to come up with a seat design that properly supports the pelvis, back and spine. courtesy Cadillac, courtesy Nissan, (Nissan seat) Aaron Gold p56-57_Analyze This.indd 57 AMA online. ama.ab.ca/buysell Register your new vehicle and purchase licence plates at any AMA centre. AMARegistries.ca Westworld >> F e b r u ar y 2 0 1 3 57 13-01-16 12:55 PM

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