To Go Automatic or Not?
Admit it or not luxury cars have some features that some of us wish we had in our cars too. The price tag attached to these features is what makes most of us cringe at the idea of purchasing cars embedded with these features. Like they say luxury comes at a price and not many of us are willing to pay the price. But not to worry, auto technology has come a long way and is developing at a blistering pace every day. Automobile companies have for long, analyzed customer needs and demands. This realization has made auto majors such a Chevrolet, Nissan, Ford, Toyota and the like to offer some of the features in their affordable and considerably less expensive models too. Listed below are the most wanted technologies in 2015.
1. Automatic Start and Stop
The concept of the stop-start system is simple. It automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle is at rest to cut fuel use and eliminate idle emissions. It then restarts the engine automatically when the driver lifts off the brake (or puts in the clutch to select 1st gear) to get going again. The basic logic is hard to argue with. Why burn gasoline if you're just sitting there?
Is It Worth the price you pay?
Yes, because it actually saves you money over the long haul. Plus it's good for the environment. Look for this feature to be standard on most, if not all, vehicles in the not-too-distant future.
2. Adaptive headlights. These headlamps pivot in response to where the front wheels are pointed, helping illuminate around curves on dark roads. Rader says 150,000 crashes occur each year on dark curves, and the hope is that adaptive headlights will reduce that number.
Is It Worth the price you pay?
Yes, if you don’t mind spending a little extra for those times when you are out on a windy road for a late night drive and want to be enjoy the drive to the fullest without being worried about bumps, turns and bad road conditions.
3. Adaptive Cruise Control
Adaptive cruise control is similar to conventional cruise control in that it maintains the vehicle's pre-set speed. However, unlike conventional cruise control, this new system can automatically adjust speed in order to maintain a proper distance between vehicles in the same lane. This is achieved through a radar headway sensor, digital signal processor and longitudinal controller. If the lead vehicle slows down, or if another object is detected, the system sends a signal to the engine or braking system to decelerate. Then, when the road is clear, the system will re-accelerate the vehicle back to the set speed.
Is it worth the price you pay?
Adaptive cruise control is worth the money if it's not embedded in an expensive options package, which is sometimes the case. Once you've experienced it, it's hard to go back.
4. Blind-zone warning. Sensing when another vehicle is approaching your vehicle's flanks, this system alerts you with a warning light and/or audible alarm. Rader says one factor that might reduce its effectiveness is that often the warning light is on the outboard mirror, which some drivers simply don't use.
Is it worth the price you pay?
Yes definitely, because not everyone is a defensive driver. And you need to know the secret devil hiding behind who could be a threat to your safety.
5. Entertainment on touchscreen
An Infotainment System allows the driver to access many of the features that can be offered on a vehicle which has become necessary considering the many features and options a vehicle can have. Imagine how a cellular phone operates, a smartphone in specific. Smartphones have many features and each one of them cannot be given a separate button so all of the features are arranged in menus and sub-menus and an infotainment system follows the same concept. The factors that can make a good system will be whether the vehicle is hard drive based, the resolution of the screen and how easily the system can be operated.
Is it worth the price you pay?
Measuring the worth depends on your priorities. For the average shopper in 2015, a good touchscreen's features are going to be hard to resist. On the other hand, some may find a certain appeal in cars that just give you the basics, although they're getting harder to find.
6. Forward-Collision Mitigation
Also known as pre-crash system, forward collision warning system or collision is designed to help avoid or reduce the crash chances. These systems detect how far and fast the vehicle in front of you may be moving, and automatically apply the brakes if you do not respond.
Is it worth the price you pay?
Naturally, you can't put a price on the lives that would be saved if forward-collision-mitigation systems were in widespread use. Since the systems are presently extra-cost options, and may only be available on fancier trim levels, they're not always realistic for budget-minded shoppers. If you can afford the upgrade on your next car, it'll be money well spent.
7. In-Car Connectivity
This feature in the car gives you the luxury of having uninterrupted wi-fi or internet access. Automakers are in a rush to add internet connectivity to cars. They're doing this for a number of reasons, including to collect data from the vehicle, push over-the-air updates, and improve car safety.
Is it worth the price you pay?
Absolutely. The Internet is the lifeblood of so many contemporary activities; it just makes sense to have it at your fingertips whenever you're in the car.
8. Lane Centering
A camera can follow the road and gently nudge a car using the brakes to stay in the center of a lane. Lane-centering is an outgrowth of lane-keeping systems, which first appeared on commercial trucks a decade ago. These systems are now offered by Honda, Buick, Cadillac, Nissan and other brands. There is a beep or vibration in the driver's seat if a camera senses that a car is swerving out of its lane.
Is it worth the price you pay?
Yes, if you have a habit of sleeping at the wheel, or if you are quite a lousy multitasker.
9. Parking Assistance
Park Assist automatically steers the car into parallel and bay parking spaces, and also out of parallel parking spaces. The system assists the driver by automatically carrying out the optimum steering movements in order to reverse-park on the ideal line. The measurement of the parking space, the allocation of the starting position and the steering movements are automatically undertaken by Park Assist – all the driver has to do is operate the accelerator and the brake. This means that the driver retains control of the car at all times. Park Assist can be overridden by the driver at any time.
Automakers are starting to market self-parking cars because they sense a consumer demand. Parallel parking is often the most feared part of the driver's test, and it's something almost everyone has to do at some point. People who live in big cities may have to do it every day. Removing the difficulty, stress and uncertainty of this chore is very appealing.
Is it worth the price you pay?
This is hardly a life-saving feature, of course, but it's a serious stress reliever for many. If it's readily available on the car that you're considering, you'll likely be glad you sprang for it.