Back in the day, all one would get with their car was the equipment it required to run and the constituents required to accommodate the driver and a few passengers. Today’s cars come with a near-infinite amount of creature comforts and technologies – any Volkswagen Tiguan review will prove to you just how jam-packed even family carriers are. Some are aimed at improving performance dynamics, others at optimising fuel economy, but most are there to make the modern driving experience as pleasant and convenient, and most importantly, as safe as possible. Here are just some of the more advanced systems we can find in today’s cruisers:
- Automatic LED High-Beams – LED high beams are the bane of many commuters’ existence on the road as they’re forced to slow down, squint, or even avert their eyes from the road ahead as the high beams from oncoming vehicles or tailgaters blind them.
- Self-Driving Technology – With the use of 360-degree sonar sensors, radar, and strategically placed cameras, many of our future cars will be driving themselves. With this equipment, our cars will be able to control speed, change lanes, initiate turns, and even park automatically. The Tesla Model S is perhaps the best example of what self-driving tech offers right now.
- Birds-Eye View Cameras – Birds-eye-view cameras or 360-degree cameras give the driver a view of his/her car from above and helps reveal all obstacles surrounding the car. It’s an excellent feature for pulling into and out of tight parking spots, especially with full-size SUVs or pickup trucks.
- Infotainment Touchscreens – In 2018, a back-up camera was made mandatory for every new vehicle manufactured for the US market. This meant that every vehicle would need to come outfitted with a screen of sorts in the driver’s proximity. Automakers saw the opportunity to make this screen more than just a display for the backup camera but also the housing for every car’s infotainment purposes. Subsequently, just about every new car in the USA is sold with a comprehensive infotainment system touchscreen in the center dash. In the base model of most automakers’ ranges, these screens are usually around eight inches in size increasing to even 21-inches in some top-spec trims.
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay – Most, if not just about every car now comes standard with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity, including the range of VW SUV models. This lets drivers connect their smartphones, whether an android or an iPhone and allows them to access various features of their phone from the car’s infotainment system. It’s great for both safety and convenience.
- Highly Functional Seating – So many cars these days, premium or not, are offered with heating, cooling/ ventilation, and even massaging functions in the seats, along with a variety of position-adjustability and folding configurations. In the vast majority of cars, these functions can only be installed to the front seats, however, as the typical back-seat bench is usually incompatible with these functions.
- Automated, Hands-Free Tailgate – Whether you have young children or are just regularly cramming cargo into your car, having an automatic, hands-free tailgate is one of the most appreciable conveniences to have. All one has to do is swing their foot in front of a sensor located beneath the rear bumper of the car, and the tailgate will automatically open up. For security, these systems are usually linked to keyless-entry systems.
