Each fall automotive manufacturers share their latest vehicles with consumers through auto shows, often unveiling cars and trucks with new technologies designed to make roads less dangerous. Not only do drivers and their fellow motorists benefit from these advances in safety technology but motorcycle and scooter riders reap rewards as well.

“Driver awareness and riding training are the most crucial components of motorcycle and scooter safety,” said Bill Windsor, associate vice president of safety for Nationwide. “However, the latest automotive technologies are also a plus for riders because many make motorists more aware of their presence and location. Nationwide supports the technological advances from automotive, motorcycle, and scooter manufacturers designed to reduce accidents.”

Nationwide Insurance salutes four automotive technologies that help make the roads safer for all riders.

• Blind Spot Warning Systems. The system identifies vehicles in blind spots. A warning light, sound, or vibration is activated if a lane change is attempted when a vehicle is present in a driver’s blind spot. The system is valuable to riders, who are often “hidden” in the blind spots of other vehicles, particularly large SUVs or trucks.

• Lane Departure Warning Systems. The lane departure warning system activates if a vehicle has inadvertently drifted out of its lane. As with blind spot warning systems, a light, sound, or vibration is employed to warn drivers and prevent them from wandering over the lane line. The lane departure warning system protects riders from inattentive drivers, particularly those who drift lanes while talking on cell phones.

• Forward Collision Warning Systems. The system monitors the distance between vehicles. If a driver is too closely following another vehicle, the system activates and, with a light or sound, warns the driver of a potential collision. The forward collision warning system helps prevent rear-end collisions, protecting riders from motorists who have turned their attention from the road to a distraction, like texting.

• Adaptive Headlights / Night-Vision Assist. A variety of night-vision technologies are available, including infrared headlamps and thermal-imaging cameras. Each allows the driver greater recognition of objects, such as animals, people - even motorcycles and scooters - that are obscured by darkness. Adaptive headlights bend the light around corners, compensate for ambient light, and may also be speed sensitive. Each of these developments makes it easier for drivers to spot riders in the dark.

Tell us about the automotive technology that you think benefits riders at bikes@nationwide.com and we’ll potentially use your input in a future news article.