Over the last decade, car technology has progressed at a rapid rate. Advances in in-car systems, safety and media have meant that our cars are more tech-laden than ever and, here at Auto Sportiva, you’ll find many of our current cars kitted out with the very latest features that can transform the way you drive.
But what kind of technology is out there currently, how can these smart features help you and what could the future hold? In this article, we’re going to find out.
Smart Features in the Latest Cars
As we mentioned, the latest cars now incorporate some seriously complex features designed to make everyday driving easier and safer. Let’s take a look at what’s available today.
Advanced Driving Assistance Systems
Advanced Driving Assistance Systems - or ADAS - have helped to transform the safety levels of the cars that we drive. With this suite of features, vehicles are better able to react to potential incidents while ensuring that both driver and passengers are kept as safe as can be. ADAS highlights include autonomous emergency braking - which can activate the brakes if the car detects a collision - and lane-keep assistance, which will ‘steer’ a car back into a lane if it detects that the vehicle is drifting.
You’ll find many of these safety systems on board our latest range of vehicles, too.
More Advanced Satellite Navigation
Satellite navigation was quite rudimentary when it was first introduced but today, sat-nav systems are loaded with features that aim to make your journey as hassle-free as possible. As a result, they’re one of the core new car technologies in vehicles today. The latest systems can seek out key places that you might need - such as a petrol station - and integrate this into your journey, adjusting the arrival time so you know exactly how long you’re going to be driving for.
Plus, many of the latest systems can also relay traffic information, weather warnings and even the location of some speed cameras.
Voice Assistance
The early days of voice assistance technology saw the feature integrated with limited success. However, the latest versions of voice assistance technology are even more ‘smart’ than before and can be used to control various aspects of a car’s setup.
In fact, some of these voice assistance systems can be activated simply by saying the brand of the vehicle you’re in. For instance, saying ‘Hey Mercedes’ in one of the brand’s cars activates the voice assistance system, which can then be used to increase the cabin temperature or change the radio station, among other features.
Parking Cameras
Parking cameras have been fitted to cars for a little while now, but in the past few years, they have become more complex and able to deliver an even wider field of view around a vehicle. For instance, many cars now come equipped with a 360-degree parking camera which ‘stitches’ the feed from a series of cameras dotted around a vehicle to create one clear, all-around image that can make parking much easier.
Some of Land Rover’s cars with the best technology even have a clever ‘see-through bonnet’ system which uses a camera to give the driver a view ‘through’ the bonnet. This can help the person behind the wheel to see obstacles and inclines ahead - a big help when you’re off-roading.
Wireless Charging
Gone are the days of having to plug your smartphone into a car’s USB socket with a cable to charge it. Instead, you’ll find that many vehicles come equipped with wireless smartphone charging which allows you to top up your smartphone simply by placing it onto a ‘pad’, which is usually located underneath the car’s main infotainment screen.
These smartphone pads can add charge more quickly than you might expect, too, while some cars are even coming equipped with two charging areas so you can top-up separate devices.
Smart Cars Currently Available at Auto Sportiva
You’ll find several cars equipped with this new car technology here at Auto Sportiva. This striking Mercedes GLE, for instance, has an ‘active’ bonnet which can automatically deploy and help to cushion the impact for a pedestrian or cyclist in the event of a collision while the Driving Assistance Package adds in many of those aforementioned features such as active lane keep assist and even attention assist which can alert the driver if the car detects signs of fatigue.
BMW is no stranger to this cutting-edge technology, either, and you’ll find plenty of it in this sparkling X5. It has the brand’s Connected Services system integrated into it and that allows the driver to see many of the car’s aspects - such as fuel levels and whether the vehicle is locked or unlocked - via a handy smartphone app.
There are plenty of new car technologies to check out aboard this Land Rover Defender, too. Highlights include blind spot assistance - which can sound an alert if a vehicle is in your blind spot when changing lanes - alongside a rear-traffic monitor which can detect if a car is approaching when you’re reversing. It can even apply the brakes if it predicts that an impact could occur.
You’ll find plenty of the latest technology aboard all of our cars here at Auto Sportiva, but if you’d like to check them out in more detail then visit the website today and get in touch with a member of the team to see how they could change the way you drive.
