Infiniti FX Offers LDW This Fall

Nissan’s Infiniti division announced that it will be the first automaker to install a new
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system that alerts the driver when the vehicle makes an
unintended lane change. Lane Departure Warning technology is integrated into a small unit
consisting of a camera, an onboard computer and software that can be packaged into the
overhead console behind the rearview mirror — out of the driver’s sight. The unit’s camera
tracks visible lane markings and continually feeds the information directly into the unit’s
computer, which combines this data with the vehicle’s speed. The system alerts drivers if
they are drifting out of their lane. By using the turn signal, a driver indicates to the
system that a planned lane departure is intended, which disables the alarm. Nissan reports
that studies show that 55 percent of fatal accidents in the United States are caused by
lane departure, which is currently the nation’s single largest cause of automotive-related
highway fatalities. These are unintended lane changes caused by distracted or drowsy
drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 1.5
million automobile accidents are caused by distracted or drowsy drivers, a staggering
statistic that claims the lives of more than 23,000 people every year in the United States.
Infiniti will offer the system on its 2005 FX SUV. The FX models with LDW are expected to
arrive in U.S. dealer showrooms this fall.