2021 Best New Safety Feature finalists announced
The six contenders for the 2021 caravancampingsales Innovation Awards' Best New Safety Feature category
We've announced the contenders for Best New RV, Best New Product/Accessory and Best New Technology in the 2021 caravancampingsales Innovation Awards, and now it's time to reveal the six finalists in the fourth and last, Best New Safety Feature category.
Unlikely technology, the Australian RV industry isn't always at the forefront when it comes to safety. However, all nominees for this year's Best New Safety Feature Award represent significant advances in the general area of RV safety and security, from a world-first electronic stability control system designed to prevent wheel lock-ups and skids, to very user-friendly towing mirrors that make towing a big caravan safer and easier.
Also included in the shortlist is a 'smarter' way to check that your trailer lights are working properly, and bright-as-day driving lights that help reduce the dangers of Outback night driving.
After our expert panel completes final judging, the four category winners for the 2021 caravancampingsales Innovation Awards will be announced on December 8.
AL-KO Tow Assist
AL-KO was among the first to introduce an electronic sway control system for caravans, and now the multinational towing specialist has gone a step further by rolling out the world's first anti-lock braking (ABS) system for electric-braked trailer chassis.
Not only preventing the caravan's wheels from locking up and skidding, the Tow Assist system which was developed in conjunction with Melbourne-based Bosch incorporates a sophisticated multi-phase stability control system.
It's designed to kick in only at more dangerous towing speeds above 60km/h, and includes advanced Lane Change Control technology that mitigates trailer sway when the tow vehicle is forced to swerve to avoid an obstacle.
Soon available number on a number of Australian-built caravans, AL-KO Tow Assist comprises an automotive-grade ‘black box’ ECU that mounts on the centre line of the trailer axle, a ‘plug and play’ wiring harness and sensors fitted to all braked wheels.
Other 'smart' technology includes a smart phone app with odometer and diagnostic feature to help owners calculate things like service intervals or discover if and where there’s a fault in the system.
Checking your caravan or trailer lights for correct operation prior to a trip is a safety checklist must-do, so you have anything that makes that easier and quicker is commendable.
The Parksafe Wireless Trailer Lights and Electric Brake Tester is a simple way to check out all your connections before you hit the road. The kit comes in a glovebox-friendly plastic box and includes a small ECU box with 240v rechargeable battery and wiring harness unit that connects directly to the caravan trailer plug.
It switches on via an illuminated button and the supplied remote control unit is used to check the activation of lights via a numbered button on the remote.
It also allows you to check your caravan or trailer has been wired correctly as per standard electrical practices and a coloured chart is also supplied to confirm the standard wiring.
There are plenty of part-time towing mirrors available on the market, but few are as well designed, functional and user-friendly as the latest Grand Aero Platinum mirrors from Milenco.
Among the highlights are the extra-large rubber-faced, spring loaded gripper plates, which make them quicker and easier to attach to almost any tow vehicle's side mirrors. What's more, there are no rubber straps or side-door support arms to fuss around with.
They held firmly and remained mostly vibration-free during our tow test and, importantly from a towing safety perspective, delivered excellent rearward visibility.
They're also solidly built but lightweight and can stay on for electric-folding side mirrors, or are just as easy to take off to deter thieves.
Getting lost when touring remote or out-of-town regions is not ideal, so having a good, all-in-one digital mapping system that doesn't require an internet connection is important for safety, as well as survival reasons.
The Hema HX-2 sat-nav unit allows road-going adventurers to head off confidently into the unknown, with a full set of loaded maps that cover most on and off-road touring and 4WD roads and tracks around Australia, or 1.75million kilometres in total.
Making it even harder to get lost is Hema's first "purpose-built on-road turn-by-turn navigation system" for bitumen driving, and a new high-resolution Explorer Vector Map for off-road touring that features "scaled map detail never seen before in any purpose-built GPS system".
The HX-2 also packs in more than 10,000 campsites and 100,000 points of interest.
Most trailer coupling locks are sold as separate attachments, but AL-KO's range of 'all-in-one' lockable trailer couplings makes it easier for owners to secure their caravan or camper from thieves.
With the locking mechanism incorporated into the body of the coupling, the Lockable Couplings are available in three 50mm ball versions: non-braked 750kg Fixed, 2T Over-ride and 3.5T Fixed, for electric-braked trailers.
They're an easy swap over with existing AL-KO couplings and feature bigger user-friendly grips and come with two keys. They also offer protection whether the trailer is connected to a tow vehicle or when left parked, while the lock component is also a good way for owners to 'double check' the caravan is securely connected to the tow vehicle before heading off...
Aftermarket high-output driving lights are an important safety feature when touring remote regions or accessing off-road camp sites, where the chance of hitting a 'roo or causing underbody damage increases in low light.
As we discovered fitted up to a Jeep Wrangler, Narva's new and improved Ultima MK2 LED lights deliver impressive night vision for out-of-town touring, punching out a strong, long white beam with close to 180-degree spread and no hot spots.
They're also built to withstand the rough stuff, with a pressure die-cast aluminium housing, 'Gore-Tex' breather vent and tough UV-resistant polycarbonate lens, while their IP66 and IP67 rating for water and dust ingress should ensure they keep working throughout many Outback adventures.
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