By Staff Reporter

 WINDHOEK – Opel has been awarded a Euro NCAP Advanced reward for its side blind spot alert system, which warns drivers about potential hazards in the vehicle’s blind spot.

The system was developed on the back of crash statistics in Europe, where it was found that 10 percent of all serious accidents, and five percent of traffic-related fatalities, were the result of accidents where the vehicle’s blind spot inhibits safe driving.

“The Reward is an extremely important accolade for Opel, as our brand moves into an exciting new era on a global level,” said Opel brand manager at General Motors South Africa, Christopher Cradock.

“Most importantly, the new Opel ADAM, which is currently being launched to the local market, features the advanced safety system which earned us the reward,” said Cradock.

The system scans wide areas around the vehicle, with sensors designed to detect objects on a collision course, triggering an amber-coloured optical warning light fitted to each side mirror.

Extra-bright LED lighting means the warning symbol cannot be missed, even in bright sunlight.