Technology is making driving less of a chore and turning it into a fun and easy task. Here are 5 tech features to look for in cars that add to driving enjoyment as well as enhanced safety.
Native Bluetooth integration
Having your phone or tablet integrated into your car means the end of listening to boring radio stations and flicking between stations to avoid the commercial breaks. Instead you can listen to all of the music you love, or your favourite podcast or audiobook, which can make the daily commute go so much smoother. Additionally, having a native connection means that when you answer calls through the car connection, the call will be clearer and the connection will generally be more stable than with a post-purchase system.
Lane control
If you've ever lost concentration during a long drive and snapped back into focus to see yourself drifting out of a lane, you'll be delighted with 'lane centring' which uses cameras and braking to help keep your car in the middle of the lane with gentle adjustments. This can be invaluable for distracted drivers (including people who are tired, ill, or dealing with fighting children in the car).
Voice controlled navigation
Finding yourself in a new part of town with an empty tank can be very stressful. Voice activated GPS navigation systems allow you to ask the navigation system simple questions such as "Where is the nearest petrol station". The function is also very handy in emergency situations to guide you to the closest emergency room or medical centre.
Parking assist
Very few people enjoy trying to get their car into a tight parking spot, particularly if you have other drivers closeby watching your every move. A growing number of new cars have a parking assist function which can take over the steering system and use information from reversing and front cameras as well as computing power to guide your car perfectly into the smaller or awkwardest parking spot with minimum stress.
Collision avoidance
If you drive in the country, you'll no doubt have had to brake sharply at times to avoid collisions with kangaroos and other animals. These can be hard to spot at dusk but a growing number of cars have cameras that sense collisions and can hit the brakes before you have time to react, helping you avoid collisions.
As you can see there are some cool new technologies being integrated into new cars to make them safer and more enjoyable to drive. Isn't it time to upgrade your car?
Share13 June 2016
Hello, my name is William and my passion in life is riding my automobile around town. I love to buy old wrecks and then spend months bringing them back to their former glory. My wife thinks I am completely mad but I keep telling her that you don't have to be mad to do what I do, but it certainly helps! I was a later comer to the world of auto salvage and repair. It was about 12 months ago when my friend Neil introduced me to it. Neil is a real expert and has taught me everything I need to know.