6.1: COMFORT AND CONTROL SYSTEMS AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Cars are equipped with a variety of comfort and control devices. Before you begin to drive you have to know what these devices do, where they are located, and how they operate. 

What Devices Help Make You Comfortable in a Car?

Comfort devices help to reduce muscle strain while others control the interior climate of your car and make driving less tiring. 

• Seat Position Controls

The driver’s seat must be comfortable and it must suit the driver. It should provide good visibility and access to the controls. 

• Steering Wheel

Drivers can adjust the steering wheel to a position that provides maximum comfort and control.

• Air Conditioner and Heater

Use the air conditioner to cool the car and lower the humidity, and use the heater to warm the car interior and clear fogged windows. Never overheat your car. An overheated car can cause drowsiness.

• Air Vents

Adjustable vents allow outside air to flow into the car.

How Can You Control the Movement of Your Car?

The parts of a car’s control system enable you to start and stop the car and control its speed and direction.

• Ignition Switch

Inserting and turning the key in a car’s ignition switch starts the engine. New cars have push button starts as long as the key is close by.

• Selector Lever for Automatic Transmission

On cars having an automatic transmission you choose the gear you want by moving the gear selector lever. A vehicle with automatic transmission will start only in Park or Neutral. A vehicle will not roll in the Park position but a car in Neutral will roll if parked on a slight incline.

• Gear Shift for Manual Transmission

On cars having a manual transmission, you choose the gear you need by stepping down on the clutch pedal and moving the gearshift. The gearshift may have three, four, or five speed positions, plus a reverse position. The fifth gear serves as an overdrive gear, which allows the engine to run more slowly and fuel efficiently at high speeds.

• Clutch Pedal

Cars with manual transmission have a clutch pedal located to the left of the brake pedal.

• Steering Wheel

You control the direction of your front wheels by turning the steering wheel which takes little effort with power steering. 

• Accelerator or Gas Pedal

You move the car and control its speed by pressing on the accelerator, or gas pedal, with your right foot. The greater the pressure you put on the accelerator, the more fuel the carburetor or fuel injectors feed to the engine. The more fuel that flows into the engine, the faster the car will go.

• Cruise Control

Cruise control is an optional car feature that lets you maintain a desired speed without keeping your foot on the accelerator. Cruise control is intended for highway driving, in situations where you can maintain a constant rate of speed. You can switch off cruise control whenever you choose, or you can cancel it by tapping the brake pedal. Cruise control can lead you to be less alert, it lessens your ability to reduce speed, and can cause a skid if you must suddenly brake on a slick surface.

• Brake Pedal

You slow or stop the car by pressing down on the brake pedal. Power brakes require less foot pressure, however, it does not shorten the stopping distance. 

• Parking Brake

The parking brake, emergency brake, hand brake, or e-brake is where a cable is attached to the rear wheels which keeps a parked car from rolling.