The CX-5 Crossover SUV marks a few firsts for Mazda. It will be the company's first production vehicle sporting the new KODO - Soul of Motion design language seen originally in the Shinari concept vehicle, the first vehicle featuring Mazda's efficiency-boosting Skyactiv technology, and the first to feature Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) - a system designed to avoid or reduce the damage from low speed collisions.
Similar to Volvo's Auto Brake system, the SCBS system uses a laser sensor mounted at the top of the windshield glass to scan for other vehicles or obstacles in front of the car when traveling at speeds of around 4 - 30 km/h (2.5 - 19 mph). If a potential collision is detected, the system reduces the brake rotor (or disc) travel distance so that braking is faster when the driver applies the brake. If the driver fails to apply the brake or maneuver to avoid an impending collision, the system will then automatically apply the brake while also reducing the engine output.
In the Japanese market, Mazda will also offer an "Acceleration Control for Automatic Transmission" system that works in conjunction with the SCBS system to activate an audio and visual alarm and curbs the engine output if the driver tries to accelerate when an obstacle has been detected.
Mazda says it plans to include SCBS in upcoming models, with the CX-5 to be the first when it is launched around mid-year.
