► Safety tech showcase vehicle
► Six key systems demonstrated
► Named after travel guardian angel
Seat has showcased a special Leon it claims to be the safest car the Spanish car maker has ever built. On show at the Smart City Expo in Barcelona, the Seat Leon Cristobal is an example of the brand’s mid-sized hatchback crammed with as many advanced safety systems as possible.
The Leon Cristobal sounds like a prop from Strictly Come Dancing, but it’s actually named after the patron saint of travellers (St Christopher is San Cristobal in Spanish).
The safety systems at work in the Seat Leon Cristobal
Six of the systems fitted to the Cristobal are claimed to reduce or mitigate against distraction, drowsiness, speeding and alcohol, the factors thought to cause 80% of traffic accidents.
- Drive Lock: Built in breathalyser – the engine won’t start if it reads positive
- Eye Tracker: Detects if the driver’s eyelids suggest they’re becoming drowsy
- Drive-coach: Voice assistant with customisable alerts, e.g. excessive speed warning
- Display-mirror: Rear camera for all-round vision, accounting for view-blocking loads in the boot
- Black box: Image and data recorder sends footage to a specified smartphone in the case of an accident
- Mentor app: Parents can limit the car’s speed and track its location
In ‘Guardian Angel mode’, all 19 systems fitted to the Cristobal are switched on together.
Is the tech shown in the Leon Cristobal heading for production?
It’s a concept vehicle, to showcase the technology, but the majority of its systems are either are production-feasible now or heading for production in the near future across a variety of car brands via the major automotive supplier industry.
How many of them make the leap to the showroom will depend upon a combination of customer demand and legislation.