Today’s vehicles are constantly changing, with designers incorporating new technological features now and then.
Although some of these technical details amount to mere convenient extras, others are enormously significant to the safety and security of the driver, the car’s passengers, and even other road users.
Consequently, such attributes are factors worth looking out for as you purchase or hire your next car. That way, you are assured of getting maximum value for your money with comfort and convenience as a bonus. The following are the top five features you should look out for when acquiring your next car:
Parking Assist
Through the parking assist feature, your vehicle is capable of assuming autonomous control of some parking tasks.
These include detecting available parallel parking spaces, detecting the car’s proximity to other vehicles and obstacles, and mapping out proposed parking maneuvers.
The system is activated at the press of a button. When you wish to park, you press the button, and the car begins scanning the surroundings for a suitable parking spot.
With onboard sensors, the vehicle can map out the convenient parking spot and inform you accordingly.
To this end, the vehicle will display the proposed parking maneuver, and if you are agreeable to it, you let go of the steering wheel and allow the car to take over the steering function and get you into that space.
However, in some cars, the driver retains control of the braking and acceleration functions. In others, the vehicle takes over the entire process and can even parallel-park itself while the driver stands outside.
When using the parking assist while on the driver’s seat, the driver can override the system at any time by resuming the steering function. One of the cars having this feature is the Audi A8.
Figure 1 Audi A8
Adaptive Cruise control
Adaptive cruise control is a safety mechanism that keeps the car at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.
Through this feature, your car can scan and register changes in the speeds and acceleration of the vehicle in front and adjust its speed and distance accordingly.
The feature is designed to prevent front collisions or your running into the car ahead of you.
In some cars, adaptive cruise control coexists alongside other features such as the emergency braking system and pedestrian detection systems to prevent collisions where the driver fails to respond or responds inadequately.
An example of a car that combines adaptive cruise control and automated braking is the Mercedes Benz E-Class, whose ‘Distronic Plus’ system does just that.
Figure 2 Mercedes Benz E-Class
Just as the adaptive cruise control system slows down the car upon detecting a vehicle up ahead, it also automatically accelerates the car in line with the car’s progression ahead.
Adaptive cruise control is handy when navigating city traffic where the numerous starts and stops in traffic jams can heighten the risk of forward collisions.
Automatic Braking system
An automatic braking system allows the car to reduce speed or even stop autonomously when an imminent collision ahead is detected. The system works using sensory data collected either through video, laser, or radar.
In some cars, the automatic braking system may also work alongside the car’s traffic sign recognition system, which allows the vehicle to identify and interpret road signs and autonomously apply the brakes where need be.
The emergency automatic braking system often kicks in to stop the vehicle when the driver either fails to apply brakes on time or when insufficient braking is applied.
Some cars with an automatic braking system include the 2021 Honda Civic, Mazda CX-5, and Hyundai Santa Fe.
Figure 3 2021 Honda Civic
Partly Automated vehicles
At the pinnacle of modern automotive technology are driverless or autonomous cars (AVs). These vehicles can move around from one destination to the next with minimal participation of a human driver.
While mass production of fully autonomous cars is yet to happen, the partly automated vehicles nonetheless allow you to remove your hands off the steering wheel in certain conditions.
These partial AVs can operate due to a winning combination of various technologies and gadgets. From 360-degree cameras, sensors, ultrasound, radio antennas to internet connection and mapping, the car can ascertain its position and navigate accordingly.
Among the capabilities included in the setup is the ability to ‘read’ or register nearby infrastructure, including traffic signs and other cars.
The car can also detect pedestrian activity through its vehicle to pedestrian function and react where need be. An example of a car model commercially available as a partial AV is the BMW 7 Series.
The increased presence of full AVs in the future will enable the vehicles to communicate with each other and work in concert to avoid collisions ordinarily attributed to driver error. It is a technology that we continue to be on the lookout for, as it will allow you to be more productive during long trips.
AVs are expected to revolutionize traffic and how transportation works.
Adaptive headlights
Efforts to make cars ‘smarter’ have been extended to improving how the modern car’s headlights function.
Adaptive headlights are designed to react to the conditions prevailing on the road, besides automatically turning on when the vehicle is driven in low visibility/ dark areas or when night falls. The adaptive headlights of some vehicles today do so much more.
They can automatically switch between rendering low and high beams, such as when the car is going through a dense traffic area.
Some adaptive headlights can even work efficiently with their high beams without compromising the other motorists’ visibility. That is because they can be redirected away from oncoming cars without necessarily dimming them.
