High-tech will win car wars

Using a radar tucked discreetly behind the front grille, your car "senses" you are about to slam into the vehicle ahead.

Within fractions of a second, it tightens your seat belt, slightly changes your seat position, raises the windows, adds pressure to the brakes and prepares the air bags to launch.

When it's all over, a violent crash that may have otherwise ended your life produces only minor injuries.

While it may sound like a vision of a faraway future, some vehicles on the road today perform all of these functions and more.

And in coming years, cars and trucks will become even smarter in preventing accidents, adapting to the tastes and preferences of drivers and communicating with the world outside.

So-called "smart" technologies are fast emerging as a way for automakers to set themselves apart in a crowded market where top-notch quality and sharp designs are no longer enough to woo buyers.

The shift is being driven by growing consumer interest in, and willingness to pay for, safety features such as side-curtain air bags, entertainment options ranging from rear-seat DVD players to satellite radios and comfort features like heated seats.

But that's only the beginning.

In the not-to-distant future, cars will know the music you like. They'll know your favorite restaurants and the best way around an unexpected traffic jam. They may even know your stress level and just what to do to calm you down.

Mercedes' has developed what is calls the Driver Fitness Safety Program, which studies how people behind the wheel react under a variety of conditions. Test drivers are hooked up with electrodes that record their stress levels, their heart rate, their level of fatigue and other physiological red flags. The underlying idea is that relaxed and alert drivers are safer drivers, and the research can inform engineers as they develop future models.

While some industry prognosticators envision a day when cars will be smart enough to drive themselves, the focus today is on developing systems that make vehicles safer, more fun and more connected — yet leave the driver in control.

Going forward, the challenge for automakers will be betting on technologies that can remain relevant amid exploding advances in electronics and that can be added at a reasonable cost.