1 . Like many other small boys, I was fascinated by cars, especially because my oldest brother was a bit of a car guy and subscribed to cool magazines like Car and Driver and Motor Trend.

Every so often, one of those magazines would run an article on the “Cars of the Future”.     1     Yet, frankly, my car doesn’t do anything that my brother’s Studebaker didn’t do. It goes, it stops, it burns gasoline. I still have to steer it, and it still runs into things if I don’t steer it carefully.

But guess what?     2     It may not burn gasoline, I may not have to steer it, and it may be a lot better at not running into things.

    3     In fact, considering the recent news about people occasionally being killed by their airbags in low-speed crashes, they obviously still need some development. But they aren’t going away, and in fact, you can expect to see cars appearing with additional, side-impact airbags, something some European car manufacturers already offer.

Better than systems to minimize injury in the event of an accident, however, are systems that minimize the likelihood of an accident happening in the first place ? Future cars may be able to remove many of the major causes of accidents, including drunk-driving, and tailgating (与前车距离过近) . Cars could be equipped with sensors that can detect alcohol in a driver’s system and prevent the car from being started, for example. As early as next year, you’ll be able to buy cars with radar-equipped control systems. If the radar determines you’re closing too quickly with the car in front, it will ease up on the throttle (油门).

Scientists are now working on a system that can brake, accelerate and steer a vehicle down a highway on its own.     4