Good looks and Skyactiv tech have rightly taken the spotlight when it comes to the new Mazda 6, but last month’s Moscow show debutant packs in quite a bit of safety tech as well. The Hiroshima-based carmaker has announced the incorporation of “i-Activsense” technologies into the new 6, which will roll out later this year.
i-Activsense is the name given to Mazda’s suite of safety technologies designed to aid the driver in recognising hazards, avoiding collisions and reducing the severity of a crash that cannot be avoided. The umbrella term covers a series of tech which makes use of devices such as milliwave radars and cameras, and will debut on the new Mazda 6, which you can read and view in full here.
Let’s start with Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC), which judges the relative speed and distance to the car ahead, and works within a set speed range to maintain a safe following distance, thus alleviating some of the burden on the driver when driving on highways.
In the Hazard Recognition Support category, we have Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) and Rear Vehicle Monitoring (RVM). FOW detects vehicles in front and alerts the driver to an approaching risk of collision early enough for the driver to take action, while RVM detects cars in the blind spot on either side or approaching from behind, much like Volvo’s BLIS. LDWS is self-explanatory.
Lighting is lumped in here as well, and the new 6 will get High-Beam Control System (HBC) and Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS). The former is always on high beam, automatically switching to low beam when there’s oncoming traffic. AFS sees the headlights turn according to steering angle.
In the Collision Avoidance/Damage Reduction Support room, we have Smart Brake Support (SBS), Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) and Acceleration Control for A/T cars. SBS automatically applies the brakes when a risk of frontal collision is detected, while SCBS goes a step further by automatically stopping the car when there is a risk of collision at speeds of between 4 and 30 km/h.
Acceleration Control avoids unintended sudden acceleration by curbing engine power output and alerts the driver if the accelerator pedal is pressed excessively while there is an obstacle in front.
While none of the above tech are groundbreaking, being already available in other cars, it’s still good to see them available in a mass-market Japanese D-segment model. How many of them will reach Malaysia is the more important question.
Click here for full details and a large gallery of the new Mazda 6.
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“How many of them will reach Malaysia is the more important question.”
There is no question about it. NONE will come to Malaysia. We will always get an empty limousine from the Japanese marquees. Oh-wait… this is Mazda! Things might be better.
With Bermaz doing CKD for this Mazda model next year, you can bet it’ll be an empty car.
best car and technology by Japanese..
way superior then Conti (merc or BM or audi or volvo)..
this car will be reliable, safe, best off all the resale value..
BM/Merc/Audi/Volvo beware…
this car will eat your market :)..
I hope all features will make it to our shore. Here’s hoping Bermaz doesn’t go Toyota / Nissan on us by eliminating VSC / airbag and give us stupid excuses.
“How many of them will reach Malaysia is the more important question.”
QFT. Some of the tech mentioned is already available with the CX-5 in other countries (JP, AU, etc) but sadly Bermaz didn’t include them Malaysian spec CX-5, bummer.
http://www.mazda.com.au/vehicles/cx-5/specifications
the CX-5 dunt have those new tech features…
but the safety kit is the same regardless of trim in aussie tho
The japs are playing catch up with Ford and Korean cars
with the new accord and and mondeo coming to our shores ( with ford having the upper hands in terms of kit) It’ll be exciting times for D-segment shoppers in 2012
Kia optima shud step up too, bring in GPS as standard and 2.0T engine
Still prefer the Japs and Ford because they have better handling than crappy handling Korean cars.
I have noticed a big change in consumer taste and ownership of vehicles in Malaysia and particularly my home town Ipoh. Ipoh being a place full of Camry and Honda those days, can now see lots of VW and Mazda around.
Good to see that people are no more going after that ‘uncles’ car..and I hope the imported car prices will drop…
present government is not treating the people fairly..why? because the petrol price of RON97 is high (not subsidised) and the imported car prices is also high (due to taxes).
Malaysia is one of those places where consumers like to pay ridiculously high prices for cars and yet use low quality fuel. There are also consumers out there that would go all out to defend such practices by the govt and distributors, even though remedial action to correct the car market in stages would hardly affect them.
Malaysia boleh bayar harga kereta yang tinggi!
i see a lot of preve
Really… Been using IHCC Honda radar cruise system since 2007…on odyssey…. Meyh~~… Too late la Mazda.. Grey market got more interesting spec…
Lol.. dun cry when ur car is broken and have to wait for months for the replacement parts.
Yep…none of them will make it into our local 6. This was clearly shown when the CX-5 came it…what a big let down by our local distributor.
Very good example is the new Camry – it doesn’t even have ESP/VSC in it!
Some people cannot understand ‘please retain full safety features’.
They only can understand ‘please do not remove important safety equipments’.
Toyota Malaysia can understand both.
Best looking Japanese car ever, two thumb up!!
Booked the car, if the spec is kosong like Toyota or Honda, I will cancel it immediately and go buy new VW
Can make use of that blind spot and headlamp control/levelling thing. For the rest, its better to just concentrate on driving, while you are at it. oh wait, got that phone to tinker with while driving, let the car take care of those pedestrians lah.