The world of car technology is constantly evolving and changing. In recent years, many innovative automobile tech features have been introduced, from advanced driver-assistance systems to connected mobile apps that make us all want to buy a new car. Today we’ll explore the top 5 best car technologies.
1. Advanced driver-assist systems
The first car technology that we will discuss is self-driving cars. Autonomous vehicles, as they’re more properly called. The main challenge with autonomous vehicles is the difficulty in programming them to handle irregular road surfaces and cope with poor weather conditions. A driver assistance system can help by maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead and adjusting speed to suit conditions.
With the advancement of technology, automakers now offer a suite of bundling options to increase efficiency and safety during driving. These systems can sense hazards on roads, reduce driver fatigue and stress while in traffic jams/congestion, and even park your car for you without requiring any input from yourself! Here are some features to look for in a vehicle with advanced driver-assistance systems:
- Adaptive cruise control (ACC)
- Lane departure warning system (LDWS)
- Lane-keeping assist system (LKAS)
- Blind-spot detection monitor
- Rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA)
- Reverse brake assist
2. 360-Degree camera
A 360-degree camera can ensure you don’t hit anything while parking a large vehicle, reducing insurance claims from low-speed crashes. This is because the rear cross-traffic assist helps avoid collisions when backing out of a driveway or parking space but is not very useful in tight spaces where there are obstacles all around and on both sides of your car.
The 360-degree camera has the capability to provide drivers with an unobstructed view of their surroundings. For example, this car technology will allow drivers to see what’s happening at their vehicle’s front, back, or side.
3. Connected car apps
Carmakers are taking advantage of smartphone apps to make our lives easier by helping you remotely lock and unlock the doors, check fuel level and tire pressure statuses (and even start your vehicle up). Our favorite apps on the market are Samsung SmartThings and Apple Digital Key.
SmartThings and Samsung
With a new feature set to arrive soon, you’ll be able to start or turn off your vehicle with the SmartThings app. SmartThings has partnered with Google to bring their dashboard to Android Auto. This means you’d be able to control your home devices from the road in your car before arriving at home. You can turn on lights and heat or close the garage door without getting out of the car. You can also use it to warm up or cool down your vehicle before getting inside.
Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX, an AI assistant that can control your vehicle with voice commands like “Hey Mercedes,” works with SmartThings to integrate this feature into cars. This was announced during CES 2018.
BMW and Apple
BMW and Apple had already been working together to develop a new system for unlocking cars. However, the current version is NFC-based. This means you need an iPhone or Apple Watch nearby to unlock it.
The new Digital Key Plus service will allow you to unlock your BMW iX without having the key in close proximity. This is made possible via ultra-wideband, which has been included since Apple’s iPhone 11 and Apple Watch 6 for security reasons. It will be available in Europe later this year and in 2022 for North America as well.
Pro tip: Make sure to ask about the monthly or yearly subscription fee for connected mobile apps because it can vary from carmaker to carmaker.
4. Automatic emergency braking
Another of the best car technologies is automatic emergency braking. You can find this feature in many new cars and nearly all autonomous vehicle models. Automatic emergency braking systems can control a vehicle to avoid (or reduce) the severity of an accident. It’s usually activated when the car senses that it is close to colliding with another object, such as a pedestrian or another vehicle.
When the system detects that there is no brake input by the driver, it will automatically apply brakes to reduce speed or completely stop before impact. The system works by using radars and cameras to detect obstacles ahead on the path of travel. These can also help drivers by alerting them whenever they start to veer out of their lane.
This feature works faster than human reflexes and applies the brakes with more force if needed to minimize or avoid an accident. If you’re already braking when it thinks there might be trouble ahead, AEB can sense this too and brake harder for extra safety.
While many advanced driver-assist features include AEB as part of their package list, such systems should not come at the cost of ignoring this essential system that could save lives on the roads by preventing accidents from occurring altogether.
5. Video rearview mirror
The video rearview mirror is a clever vehicle technology that functions as a convex mirror. The video rearview mirror creates a live feed from the external camera on the vehicle’s back while still displaying the visible scene in front of the driver. It also allows drivers to activate and deactivate the feed at will, which means they can use it when they need it but turn it off when they don’t.
You know that moment when you drive away from the store with a bunch of stuff crammed into your backseat, and it blocks all visibility in the rearview mirror? A video rearview mirror uses a camera to display what’s behind you. It is mounted on the same spot as traditional mirrors but can toggle between views or settings easily.
Conclusion
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is a broad term that includes everything from adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking, which can help prevent collisions in some cases. The latest ADAS technologies include 360-degree cameras with facial recognition software for enhanced safety when backing up or parking an SUV, as well as video rearview mirrors that give drivers a full view behind their vehicle at all times.
In addition to these advanced features, there have been advancements in connected car apps – mobile applications designed specifically for use while driving. Two examples of these apps would be SmartThing and Digital Key, both great available options to track, lock and unlock the doors, check fuel level and tire pressure statuses (and even start your vehicle up).
We’ve already explored the top 5 best car technologies. It’s important to stay up-to-date with all of these new and innovative features to get the most out of your vehicle. Let us know if any specific smart automobile tech features interest you, and we can help point you in the right direction.
