The continual reduction in accident rates has been achieved by an ongoing commitment of the commercial aviation industry to enable a safe aircraft to be safely operated in a safe air transport system. A notable part of this success is due to effective regulation, a strong safety culture, and improvements in training. Technological advances are also a crucial enabler for enhancing the level of safety. In particular, technologies introduced in aircraft systems intentionally evolved with improving safety as their aim.

The first generation of commercial jet aircraft were designed in the 1950s and ‘60s with system technologies, which were limited in their capabilities by the analog electronics of that era. A second generation of aircraft quickly appeared with improved autoflight systems.

The third generation of aircraft was introduced in the early 1980s. This generation took advantage of digital technologies to introduce glass cockpits with flight management systems and navigation displays, which significantly improved navigation capabilities and position awareness. Combined with the Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS), these evolutions were key to reducing Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents.

The fourth and latest generation of commercial jet aircraft first entered into service in 1988 with the Airbus A320. Fourth-generation aircraft use fly-by-wire technology with flight envelope protection functions. These functions protect against Loss Of Control In-flight (LOC-I) accidents. Fly-by-wire technology is now the industry standard and it is used on every currently produced Airbus model, Boeing B777 and B787, Comac C919, Embraer E-Jets, and the Sukhoi Superjet.