Cars are becoming loaded with more high-tech systems than ever, some of which can truly be life-savers. Here’s what to look for at dealers’ showrooms for 2015. The term “basic transportation” is all but a misnomer in the automotive business these days, as even the smallest rides on a dealer’s lot can be fitted with a fanciful assortment of high-tech features.
Looking for a car that comes with an in-dash cassette player? You’ll be lucky to find one fitted with a CD player, as many models instead play digital music files and stream data from smartphones. Want a car that best protects its occupants in a crash? Many models can now help the driver avoid getting into an accident in the first place.
Here’s a quick look at the latest safety and connectivity features newcar shoppers will encounter on a wide range of models for 2015, though be aware that some of them might only be offered on higher trim levels in a given model line.
Safety first. Sophisticated accident avoidance features are fast becoming optional on a wide range of mainstream models, with the most effective in this regard being forwardcollision alert systems. The best of them not only warn the driver if the car is closing in too quickly on another vehicle or other obstruction, but will actually apply the brakes if he or she is not reacting quickly enough to help prevent, or at least minimize the effects of a crash.
Volvo and Mazda offer low-speed collision avoidance systems that will automatically engage the brakes to avoid hitting other vehicles (and in Volvo’s case, pedestrians and cyclists) in low-speed city traffic. Meanwhile, some Nissan and Infiniti models offer systems that can automatically stop the car while in reverse gear to avoid a crash as it’s backing up.
Other widely available collision prevention systems include blind spot and lane departure warning systems. The former warns motorists of the presence of other vehicles to the side and rear he or she might not be able to see in a side mirror (some further warn of cross-traffic while backing out of a garage or parking space). Meanwhile, the latter issues an alert if the car inadvertently crosses highway lane markers; a few lane departure systems can gently “nudge” the car back into a lane or prevent crossing the markers via brake or steering intervention.
Infotainment everywhere. Automakers are trying to attract younger and more tech-savvy buyers with an increasing array of smartphone connectivity features. Most cars offer a simple Bluetooth interface that enables hands-free calling and digital song downloading via the audio system. Many now leverage mobile phones as a gateway to access Internet radio services, navigation, dining and travel information, news headlines, sports scores, weather forecasts and gas prices.
A number of systems can read aloud text messages via a synthesized voice, with some allowing the driver to likewise respond on a hands-free basis, either by voice command or via preset replies like “driving, can’t text,” or “running late.” Several models now offer the Siri Hands Free feature that enables owners of recent-model iPhones to access the virtual digital assistant while driving via a steering wheel-mounted button.
Several models — most notably from General Motors and Chrysler — further offer in-car Internet connections that enable their vehicles to act as rolling Wi-Fi hotspots for mobile devices (albeit on a monthly subscription basis). For added convenience, a few models allow occupants to keep their smartphones powered without physically having to plug them in via a handy inductive charging tray.
And some vehicles even allow motorists to remain connected when they’re otherwise separated via smartphone apps that can, for example, remotely engage or disengage a car’s door locks, start the car and/or check tire pressure, fuel levels and vehicle diagnostics. Some can even help mom and dad keep tabs on teen drivers and guide owners back to their vehicles in crowded shoppingcenter parking lots.
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