Our cars are now smarter than ever before. The rise of technology in our vehicles has not only enabled us to stay connected by syncing with our smartphones, it has also made driving safer and more efficient. Here, we look at some of the best car tech on the market this year that is bound to completely change your driving experience.
Young Driver Limitations
Have you ever had to nervously hand over your car keys to your teenage kids as they pass their driving test? Well fear no more, as new teen driver technology from companies like Chevrolet will put you at ease. This built in system allows you to set custom speed alerts which warn them if they are going over a set limit. You can even set a max speed restriction that doesn’t allow the car to go over a certain mile per hour. Worried about them blaring out music? The clever audio limit also restricts them turning the volume up to max, allowing them to concentrate better, ultimately making their journeys safer. Genius!
Clever Cruise Control
Many cars are now being built with intuitive sensors that can not only detect the distance of the car in front, but also the speed they are travelling at. This technology, called adaptive cruise control, can automatically match the speed of the car in front so you don’t have to repeatedly accelerate and break. Not only does this keep you at a safe distance, it will also reduce your petrol consumption.
Many of these smart systems can even brake and stop the car for you to avoid collisions. This technology is not only useful for those that regularly commute on busy motorways, but also for logistics companies and delivery services who utilise great vehicle tech to streamline their businesses.
Vision from Every Angle
For those of you that drive large vehicles such as a 4×4, SUV or an estate, a 360-degree camera might be the most useful tool you’ll find on the market today. These clever systems fit multiple cameras around all four sides of the car, then fuse the images together to create a ‘birds-eye’ view. This can help with parking, avoiding obstructions, reversing, and much more! These cameras can then be linked to sonar to warn you if you’re too close to an object on the road.
‘Stay in Your Lane’ Systems
Statistics show that ‘one in every nine vehicles on the road drifts out of its lane’ on the road, which could see ‘motorists prosecuted for dangerous driving’. To reduce this, companies have developed lane departure warning systems that use cameras detect if your car has drifted out of its lane. The smart system then alerts the driver, either via a visual pop up, an audio message or a physical vibration through the steering wheel. Certain manufacturers such as Volkswagen have given the car the ability to move back into the correct position to avoid an accident.
Buying a new car this year? Take advantage of some of this fantastic technology that is now available. You’ll wonder how you ever drove without it.