From 2014, in all British-built Honda Civic models, a new suite of advanced active safety features is being added to make the Honda Civic even safer to drive on the road.
This will include both the new Civic Tourer and Civic hatchback as all Civics will benefit from addition of the new Driver Assistance Safety Pack that includes advanced laser-radar cameras and sensors. The technology that this involves will, according to Honda, “help avoid a collision and ensure that high levels of safety are affordable and accessible to a wide range of customers within the compact family-car segment.”
The Driver Assistance Safety Pack is designed for all journeys, whether it be travelling across a busy city or cruising along a motorway, dropping children off at school or taking a leisurely drive on a sunny day – working hard to prevent accidents or, if that’s unavoidable, lessening the impact of them
The Safety pack includes the following systems:
City-Brake Active system
Don’t worry; it’s not a slamming-on of the brakes. At first the car will sound a warning (and there is a visual warning too) but if that is ‘ignored’ that’s when automatic braking occurs. The driver can turn the City-Brake Active system off only if the car is stationary and the engine is running, and will stay off until the ignition is switched off. It turns itself back on once the ignition is switched back on.
Forward Collision Warning
The system can be turned off, and drivers can also set the warning distance to one that they feel is necessary.
High Beam Support System
Lane Departure Warning
Traffic Sign Recognition System
Only certain road signs though - mainly circular ones displaying speed limits and ‘No Passing’ information – and it shows two at one time on a split screen, with speed on the right and others on the left with other information such as weather conditions (although I’m sure you can work that bit out by looking out of the window!)
It will only tell you about the sign if it is relevant to the vehicle you are driving in that it won’t tell you about Heavy Goods Vehicles limitations on speed and height restrictions if you aren’t driving one (which you aren’t because you are in a Honda Civic, aren’t you?) and it is always right because, unlike other competitor versions of the system, Honda’s Traffic Sign Recognition System uses a camera rather than GPS.
Blind Spot Information
It works by displaying a warning sign on the wing mirror if it spots a vehicle in the blind spot, staying there until it disappears. If the driver doesn’t spot this and indicates, the visual warning blinks and there is then an audible warning.
Cross Traffic Monitor
'Safety for everyone’
These technological improvements are part of Honda’s commitment to safety encompassed in the term ‘Safety for Everyone’; and that includes drivers, passengers, pedestrians and occupants of all vehicles.
No wonder both the Civic Tourer and Hatchback carry the coveted five-star Euro NCAP rating for safety.