The Internet age brought a revolution with it. While cars can be made of lighter and cheaper materials, there are no sacrifices when it comes to safety. The digital age produces must-have safety features like we’ve never seen. Get to know what needs to be in the dashboard and beyond.
Android Auto
The feature is a natural progression. Remember the days when all a phone could do was make calls? Today, a smartphone can do scores of things. However, as stats show, using your phone while driving can lead to accidents and deaths. The Android Auto feature gives you the power of your smartphone in your car. Enjoy hands-free operation via the steering wheel or voice recognition. Don’t get discouraged if you’re an Apple user, for this manufacturer also offers the same kind of feature.
Semi-Autonomous Driving
Things are moving so fast in the digital age that some believe humans won’t need to drive in the next five to 10 years. Manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and Tesla are making strides with autonomous or semi-autonomous driving. It’s an incredible feature for those who need to drive for long periods or whose time could be spent occupying little ones in the car.
360-Recording
At first, rear cameras made it a lot easier to parallel park in urban settings. Also, it made it safer to back out of the driveway without worrying about kids and pets. However, the 360-camera view affords car owners a lot more safety. For example, thieves will be less likely to approach a parked car with a video. Likewise, those who leave the scene of an accident will be recorded and properly prosecuted.
Advanced Lumbar Support
Can you put a price on comfort, especially medically-sound features that provide it? Infiniti has paid great attention to its seats, providing more support to the spine. It facilitates comfort while it lessens the likelihood of driver fatigue. If Infiniti gets rave reviews for its effort, expect more manufacturers to follow suit.
Built-In Apps
10 years ago, lucky kids were entertained by screens on the back of mom and dad’s headrest. Naturally, as kids started watching less television and manipulating more screens, car manufacturers took notice. Screens with built-in apps now entertain kids and passengers. A passenger can quickly check for directions or access information from other devices for a safer, seamless drive.
In-Bed Entertainment
Pick-up trucks are a wide niche. Honda wanted to do something distinct from one of their models. So the company tucked a complete speaker system replete with electrical outlets for televisions and more in the truck bed. Considering how many people use trucks to tailgate sports games, go to the beach, and head out into the wilderness, it’s a creative and practical idea.
Animal Detection
As mentioned above, rearview cameras help drivers avoid family pets, but what about large animals encountered on the road such as deer, moose, etc? Volvo is tinkering with a sensor system that observes large animals and objects ahead and applies the brakes for optimal safety. It’s also useful on hilly roads, where joggers and cyclists seem to appear out of nowhere. Read more about safety features at West County Volvo.
Automatic High Beams
Some back roads and conditions warrant your car’s high beams, but it’s hazardous to keep them on when cars are passing on the other side of the road. Some manufacturers fit cars with sensors that go on when you need them and temporarily turn off to allow other cars to pass safely.
Keyless Entry
A keyless entry affords peace of mind. For one, you don’t have to worry about dropping an armful of bags when approaching the door. Secondly, you don’t have to worry about fumbling with keys in a dark parking lot late at night. Also, it makes for a much faster entry on a cold winter morning, which leads to the next feature.
Keyless Ignition
What if you live in places that host brutal winters? You have to deal with driving in bad weather and the cold, but it would be nice to have a warm car to get in. It would definitely help with scraping the ice off the windshield if you had a keyless ignition feature. Such keyless gadgets are on the market but some car manufacturers are making it standard.
Blind-Spot Alert
It got its name for a reason. It’s not the same on all cars, yet every vehicle has blind spots on the right and the left side. Particular models are outfitted with blind-spot alerts, so drivers are aware of where others are on the road. Aside from a blinking light alerting you of a car on the left or right, a signal will go off if you put your blinker on when a car is in your blind spot.
Isabel Kelly is a safety advocate who is always on the lookout for the newest trends and tools. You can find her posts on various technology blogs.
Featured photo by Image by Angelika Graczyk from Pixabay
