Cars are no longer simple tools we use to get from point A to point B. They have progressed to technological marvels that move and come equipped with many high-tech features. Car technology today is advanced and is only growing more beneficial and high-tech. While certain features differ within each car manufacturer, there is a set of features that run across the board for all vehicles. Below are some examples of car features, both exclusive and general, that are highly savvy and sought after.
The Most Popular Car Tech Features
Smartphone Integration
In the world of 2022, the smartphone rules. Our banking, music, books, and much more are all included on our smartphones and by extension, we want them included in our cars as well. Airplay for iPhone and Android Auto allows users to connect their smartphones to their vehicle infotainment systems. Long are the days of just radio and digital maps as luxuries. Now, these amenities include maps, wireless music, audiobooks, Netflix, and much more.
Autonomous Safety Systems
One of the most interesting and talked-about vehicle features emerging right now is the ability for select cars to operate autonomously. This means they act on their own, apart from human control. Various features are now becoming autonomous, such as driving itself and even the safety systems within vehicles.
Some examples of these include:
- Autonomous Emergency Braking: The vehicle scans the road ahead of it. If danger is detected, it will alarm and notify the driver. If the driver does not take action, the braking system will engage, bringing the vehicle to a safe stop.
- Blind Spot Assist scans the sides of a vehicle to detect other cars in blind spots where the driver cannot see.
- Adaptive Cruise Control: This is a regular cruise control that scans ahead to determine when to alter and change speeds. If this is engaged and a vehicle approaches quickly behind another, the system will match the speed of the car in front of it.
Car Parking Cameras
There have been countless fender benders, minor accidents, and many fatal deaths due to cars reversing. Cars are large and have blind spots that don’t always allow drivers to see everything and react in time. When looking at high-tech car features, car parking cameras are necessary for many people, not as a luxury but in some cases as a lifesaver.
The most popular version of this, the reverse camera, was once a luxury on higher-end cars. Now, it is a standard feature for many new lower-end vehicles. These cameras flip on and show the rear view behind a vehicle on the vehicle infotainment display.
In addition, many of these reverse cameras come equipped with sensors that will detect an alarm when a vehicle is close to an object.
Tire Pressure Monitor
For a while, when you wanted to see if your tyres needed air, you had to take them in to get inspected or purchase a fancy device to do it yourself. Now, due to technological advancements, newer cars are outfitted with tyre pressure monitors that track tyre levels automatically.
This allows vehicle owners to detect tyre issues ahead of time and even fast-track a plan to get their tyres changed. Some of the most advanced versions of this are able to integrate with smartphones to alert vehicle owners when their tyres are low through the car manufacturer app.
Electric Motor
Easily the most sought-after, talked-about, and hotly contested feature in cars today, electric vehicles are exactly what they sound like vehicles that operate and run on electricity. These cars have been gaining traction due to their positive environmental effects, lower maintenance, and sleek, high-tech look and features.
Heated Seats
Not every popular feature is or has to be sought out for safety, and heated seats in cars are highly sought after for obvious reasons of comfort.
Heated seats provide warmth in cars through heating coils under the seat cover. When turned on, electricity from the car battery flows to the heating coils in the seat cushion to warm it up. Just like homes that have thermostats, heated seats have thermostats as well to prevent the seats from getting too hot and allow the driver to control their heat level.
This feature is loved and comes in handy during the winter months and for those who live in colder climates.
All Wheel Drive
All Wheel Drive is a four-wheel drive system that shifts power to the front and rear wheels. This system evenly distributes power from the engine to the front and rear wheels in order to maintain traction.
This is a highly sought-after car feature because of the help it brings. In conditions with little to no traction, this can bring a vehicle out and not leave it stuck in the mud or snow. Because All-Wheel Drive gives power and turns all the wheels instead of the normal two, it provides a car with more grip and allows it to accelerate better. Additionally, it helps stabilize a vehicle on slippery turns, avoiding scary fishtails.
Lane Keeping Assist
This is another great safety feature that combines sensors and real-time updates to help you better navigate. Lane Keeping Assist detects when a car moves too close to road lane markings and automatically shifts the vehicle away to avoid it drifting across lane lines.
Lane Keeping Assist also provides lane departure warnings, which alert drivers when a car moves too close to the lane lines.
Coverage For Features
Few traditional warranties cover most high-tech features. If you want protection for your vehicle’s high-tech features, you may want to look into getting an extended warranty.
An extended warranty serves as an extension to the manufacturer’s warranty and provides additional coverage for a vehicle. This can be a great option for covering a vehicle’s high-tech and expensive features.