There are many qualities we look for in our vehicles. Dependability is important, as is fuel economy. Another major factor is performance – we all love a car that has good acceleration. Some folks also love all the creature comforts like plush leather seats, a high-quality sound system, and all the latest gadgets. Others want a vehicle that is rough and rugged both outside and in. However, one factor that seems to unite everyone is the need for a safe vehicle. More often than not, we are transporting our most precious cargo when we set out for a trip, namely our family and most beloved friends. Honda has acknowledged that need and has equipped its most popular models, like the 2021 Honda CR-V, with an incredible suite of advanced safety features.
The issue of vehicular safety has been at the forefront of automotive concerns for many years now, and Honda has done its best to advance that cause. So if you are looking for a great vehicle that will get you there safely, you should check out the 2021 Honda CR-V or other Honda models. Honda has made so many exceptional active and passive features standard that it is clear that Honda puts a premium on keeping you and your loved ones safe in the vehicles the company manufactures. Honda calls this suite of active driver technology “Honda Sensing,” and if you get behind the wheel of a 2021 Honda CR-V, you will be amazed at the number of standard features it offers, even if you buy the entry level LX trim.
Honda Sensing Technology
Most automakers offer active safety technology, but few include these features standard on every trim of their models. Rather, the other auto manufacturers make you pay a premium if you want the latest and greatest safety features. This means that you have to pay extra if you want to get the safest model or trim of a vehicle. This is not the case with the Honda CR-V, which comes with the full Honda Sensing suite standard on every single trim.
Honda Sensing is a group of active features that leverage technology to improve vehicular safety and driver assistance in the case of an emergency. This suite includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Lane Keeping Assist System. It works in conjunction with more common systems like traction control, anti-lock brakes, and a rearview camera to help drivers stay safe on the road.
Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
Sometimes you are driving along, and something unexpected occurs. Maybe another driver didn’t see you and cuts you off. Or maybe the other driver suddenly stops for no reason, not allowing you enough time to come to a complete stop. Fortunately, with CMBS, you can safely bring your 2021 Honda CR-V to a stop and minimize the impact of any such unavoidable collision. CMBS includes a forward collision warning, which alerts you to a potential crash, and automated emergency braking, where the system takes control of your CR-V’s brakes.
If you do not respond to the warning in time, the system will detect that the car you are behind has stopped and will automatically begin applying emergency brake pressure. This will either avoid the accident entirely or at least reduce the force of the crash, reducing the damage to your CR-V and the other vehicle and making any injuries to you, the other driver, and any passengers in the cars less likely. With CMBS, it is like having a co-pilot working the emergency brakes on your CR-V.
Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM)
The RDM on your 2021 Honda CR-V functions in two ways. First, it provides steering assistance, gently nudging your CR-V back into your lane. Second, it provides emergency braking to prevent you from going off the road entirely. This system could prove to save many lives and reduce the incidence of accidents over time. While we try our best to pay attention to the road, everyone gets distracted from time to time. With RDM, the Honda CR-V will literally help you stay on the road and in your lane, even if your attention wonders for a moment.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow
Cruise control is a wonderful feature to have, especially if you have a long commute to work or are going on a family road trip. It can help you maintain a safe speed, reduce fuel consumption, and keep your legs from cramping up from extended muscle use. However, with conventional cruise control, you have to constantly work the brakes and the cruising speed control to avoid colliding with slow-moving cars ahead of you in your lane. This can prove to be a major hassle and could lead to a potential accident.
ACC addresses this problem. It helps you maintain a safe stopping distance behind the vehicle in front of you when you are driving on the highway with your cruise control set on your CR-V. If the ACC system detects a slower-moving car in front of you, it will automatically adjust the speed of the CR-V to maintain a safe following interval. If the car in front of you exits or your lane or speeds up, the ACC will automatically adjust your CR-V’s speed up to the number you set with the cruise control. If the other car comes to a stop, the ACC will automatically bring your CR-V to stop to avoid an accident. Once the other car exits the lane or resumes moving forward, you can restart your journey by simply tapping on the throttle, which will instruct the CR-V to continue while maintaining a safe following interval.
Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
One of the smartest breeds of dogs is the border collie. This intelligent canine is employed by shepherds to keep their sheep in line, so they don’t wander off. Now imagine having your own border collie protecting your vehicle. Every time you start to drift into another lane, your vehicular border collie helps keep you on the straight and narrow. This is exactly how the LKAS operates.
When you are driving on a marked road, the LKAS will detect the lane markers and use gentle nudges on your CR-V’s steering wheel to keep you in line. This involves both the lane-keeping assist as well as the lane departure warning. If you cross the lane, the lane departure warning will give you an audible sound as the LKAS steers you back inside the designated lane. This will only operate when you cross a lane without signaling. If you do signal, then the LKAS will not function, so you can change lanes safely and easily.
Additional Safety Features
These are not the only safety features on the 2021 Honda CR-V. This sporty crossover also comes equipped with LED daytime running lights, a multi-angle rearview camera, Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control, ABS brakes, electronic brake distribution, brake assist, a tire pressure monitoring system, and more. These features contributed to the Honda CR-V being named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This was due in large part to the myriad of standard safety features on the 2021 CR-V. In addition, the CR-V received a 5-star rating for overall safety from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). This is based upon the performance of the Honda CR-V in the frontal, side-impact, and rollover crash tests performed by the NHTSA.
The safety of you and your passengers is too important to leave up to chance. With all of the standard features offered on every trim level of the 2021 Honda CR-V, particularly those that are part of the Honda Sensing suite of active safety systems, you know you are putting yourselves in good hands when you head out on the road. That is because Honda has made safety standard on the 2021 CR-V instead of charging you a premium like other automakers do with their crossover SUVs.
