While we hear more and more about smart appliances like refrigerators, ovens, and washers and dryers with Wi-Fi connectivity and advanced computer systems that can be controlled remotely, monitor usage and even suggest recipes or maintenance schedules, I haven’t paid close attention to some more unique vehicle advancements.

At least not until this happened to me.

It began with a small stone bruise in the top corner of my Rav4 Hybrid’s windshield, almost hidden by the reminder sticker for my next oil change. I knew it was there but didn’t bother with it until the small bruise developed into a 15-inch crack across the middle of the windshield at eye level. Yes, I know I should have had the small crack fixed, but because it was out-of-sight and no bother, I let it go. Big mistake.

Now I needed a new windshield! But still, no big deal since my auto insurance would cover all or most of a replacement cost. But was I surprised when I found out that it was no longer a simple windshield replacement. Now, given the high-tech nature of this car, my new windshield needed to be recalibrated after installation.

Recalibrated? A piece of glass? Much more than a piece of glass since my Rav4 Hybrid’s windshield houses several sensors that are crucial for the car’s advanced safety and driver assistance systems. These systems include: Lane Departure Warning, which helps keep the vehicle centered in the lane; Adaptive Cruise Control, which maintains a safe distance from the car ahead; Automatic High Beams, which automatically switch between high and low beams; and Pre-Collision System, which detects potential collisions and applies brakes if necessary.

So, that experience and the opportunity to spend several days with a friend visiting from Australia, I learned about several other high-tech auto solutions, some that aren’t commonly recognized in the U.S. or at least ones that I knew little about.

Active Hood: Of course, we don’t have many kangaroos bouncing around Maine roads, but we do have moose and we all know what happens when a car hits a moose. So, I was very interested to hear from Rob, my Australian friend, who explained about the “active bonnet” (or active hood) available on several cars. The active hood is a device that when the front end of a car is hit by a pedestrian or animal, it causes the hood nearest the windshield to explode upwards five inches and catches the person or animal.

I thought originally that the active hood would be useful if it actually pushed an animal (deer, moose or kangaroo) up and over the roof and prevent it from sliding through the windshield, but it doesn’t seem to have that capability.

Passenger Safety System: If a collision is imminent, a car with this system automatically tightens the seat belt to ensure that the driver (and passengers) are fastened securely. When the car’s sensors detect a sudden deceleration, such as in a collision or emergency braking, the pretensioners are activated. These devices automatically tighten the seat belt in the event of a sudden stop or collision.

Car-to-Car Communications: Sometimes called “vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication,” this is a technology that allows vehicles to “talk” to each other by exchanging information like speed, location, braking, turn signals and weather conditions. This data is shared between vehicles using wireless technology. A benefit of V2V is increased safety by knowing what other cars are doing; vehicles can anticipate potential hazards and react faster.

One other safety feature we noticed on a recent trip to Prince Edward Island is traffic lights there have square signals for red and circular signals for green. An explanation given to us by an island native is that someone who is colorblind can differentiate the shape of the signal and not have to depend on identifying colors. Another explanation is that given the sometimes extreme weather conditions on the island, square traffic signals are easier to see.

We hear a lot about autonomous vehicles that seem to be right around the corner, but some of these innovations have possibilities for safer driving without taking the steering wheel out of our hands.

If you know about any other interesting tech solutions in auto safety, please write to BoomerTECH Adventures at ed@boomertechadventures.com to let us know.

BoomerTECH Adventures (boomertechadventures.com) helps boomers and older adults navigate the digital world with confidence and competence. Active boomers themselves, they use their backgrounds as teachers to support individuals and groups with online courses, articles, videos and presentations to organizations upon request.