Speed-Sensing Door Locks: Why we need them – Car Feature of the Month

Remember the good old days when you had to manually lock and unlock your car? Then fast forward a few years, where remote locking was the norm? As time progressed, getting in and out of a car became so much simpler. No need to slot a key into a hole anymore, nowadays we don’t even need to take the “key” out of the pocket. Getting in and out of a motor vehicle is as easy as opening an unlocked door. 

Sometimes we forget to lock our car doors after setting off, but humans have evolved to a point where they can engineer themselves out of forgetfulness. Meet the speed-sensing door locks – a revolution in locking your doors. All you need to do is set off and forget about it because the machines will do all the work for you. 

It’s simple really: the ECU is wired up to the central locking system of your car. Once you get up to a certain speed, a signal is automatically sent to the door locks, ensuring the security of the cabin. There are other systems that can even lock or unlock the door the moment the transmission is put into park or drive. Regardless of its quirkiness, it is a safety feature that benefits drivers and their passengers. 

We cannot deny the fact that there are people who try to open the doors of a vehicle while it is stuck in traffic. While we would like to keep our negativity to a minimum here on AutoDeal, we believe that it is imperative to warn consumers about potential dangers of driving especially in this country. 

Imagine this – you’re in traffic and not minding your surroundings. An unwanted persona approaches your car and tries to open the door. He succeeds, and with your seatbelt on, phone in a cubby hole and limited mobility, you are a prime target to get mugged by a miscreant with a weapon. What else can you do at this point? Life over property, as always, you’d have no choice but to give in to his demands – unless you’re capable of defending yourself. However morbid, this is a reality that no one should ever face especially in the sanctity of a motor vehicle. You can kiss your car, wallet, and phone goodbye if so asked to relinquish these items to the delinquent. 

To cut it short, the moment you set off, the doors should always be locked because falling out of a moving vehicle is definitely not a pleasant experience. 

At this point of technological advancement, we believe that all cars should have this feature. We live in a world where cars are getting so good that you won’t need to pay a high price for a good vehicle. Automatic door locks should trickle down to all cars. It keeps occupants safe from their own forgetfulness and clumsiness. It’s an idiot-proof way to safeguard against potential threats out there in the Metro or beyond. 

We digress though, this feature isn’t a deal breaker. At certain price points, we cannot fault a manufacturer for cutting corners. At higher price points, however, we would definitely prefer that a car come with speed-sensing door locks. In other words, subcompact sedans and hatches can be forgiven for omitting this feature, but for compacts and crossovers, it’s a definite must-have in the Philippines. Look out for this feature while on the hunt for your next car.