Car of the Year 2007 - Safety award

WINNER - MERCEDES-BENZ

Safety is an increasing concern for car buyers and one car company has continued to lead the way.

For half a century, Mercedes has been at the forefront of safety innovation and research. Where it leads, others follow.

Mercedes was the first car maker to give its cars bodyshell crumple zones (1957), diagonal seatbelts (1965), anti-lock brakes (1978), driver and passenger airbags (1981 and 1988) and stablity control systems (1995).

Just recently, the company has surpassed its previous efforts by recognising that the few seconds before an accident can often be used to prevent it, or, at least, to minimise the effects.

A fully-equipped modern Mercedes will help you maintain your distance to the car in front, and even slow you down if you get too close to stop in time. Should an accident be inevitable, it will move seats to put the front occupants in the best position to survive, closing windows and sunroofs along the way.

That not enough for you? All cars get head restraints that reduce the risk of whiplash injury, airbags and seatbelts that deploy to suit the severity of an accident. Many have headlights that vary their beam according to the kind of road being driven on, and a front-mounted camera that gives the same vision on dipped beam that you'd normally only get with full beam.