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COPYRIGHT 2005 The Dallas Morning News
Byline: Terry Box
Feb. 27--One evening about five years ago on U.S. Highway 69 near Tyler, Gene O'Donnell dodged death and got a sudden, startling glimpse of the future -- all in seconds.
Mr. O'Donnell, his wife and another couple were cruising in a new Cadillac equipped with electronic suspension control when a car veered into their lane.
"We were going about 60, and I turned my wheel as far right as I could and did not lose control," recalled Mr. O'Donnell, 74, who was in the printing business in Dallas before retiring to East Texas. "My friend in front said, 'Gene, you missed that guy by four inches." "
Little highway miracles like Mr. O'Donnell's could soon become commonplace.
Computerized safety systems that can stop skids and halt rollovers could reduce traffic fatalities by 30 percent or more over the next five to 10 years.
"I think you'll see a substantial impact," said Dr. Priya Prasad, technical fellow in safety at Ford Motor Co. "We are talking about a dramatic change in fatalities."
For years, automakers focused on protecting people in accidents, said Wilfried Achenbach, director of active chassis controls at the Chrysler Group. "Now the next step is how can we avoid an...
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