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Upgrade your driving experience with must-have car tech [The Daily Star, Beirut, Lebanon](Daily Star, The (Beirut, Lebanon) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 24--BEIRUT -- New car technologies are like a massage, you never know how badly you need it until you get one. And fortunately for us, a lot of the new features incorporated into high-end cars are getting cheaper to produce, and are making their way down to more affordable rides. And while a lot of these new technologies are not absolutely necessary, some are must-haves either for safety reasons or for convenience. Adaptive headlights: Consider adaptive headlights. Why would you not want to see where you intend to take your car? The feature swings the headlights in the same direction as the tires, illuminating the patch of road you're aiming at, and lets you make out road hazards and pedestrians. Blue tooth connectivity: Another indispensable feature is Bluetooth connectivity. Remember when you we didn't have smartphones? Now that we have them we can't live without them. Bluetooth connectivity is just like that. It not only syncs your phone to your car, allowing for hands-free communication without the silly earpiece that makes you look like an idiot, but it also transfers your entire contact list to the car. You can also stream music directly from your phone to the car's audio system, enjoying superior sound quality without the need for cords. Voice commands: Here's a nice feature every car should have: voice commands. Would you like to instruct your car to make calls? Now you can. Lower the volume? Done. Change radio stations? You got it. Make a Turkey sandwich? Sorry, not yet, but give them time. Tire pressure monitor: Another indispensable feature is the tire pressure monitor system, which not only notifies when one of your tires has lost pressure, but also tells you which one. It's a marvelous technology, although in cold weather it can scare you into thinking you have a flat when in fact the cooled air in the tire simply exerts less pressure. Backup camera: One technology that all cars should be equipped with is a backup camera. Obviously, you want to see what's in front of you when you advance, so why shouldn't you want to see what's behind you? Personally, when I'm backing up, I'd like to know whether there's a pedestrian behind me, or a trash can, somebody's beloved pet, and yeah, another car. Really, it's necessary. Navigation: Yes, you need it. How often have you felt stressed when going to an unfamiliar destination? What do you do? You call your host and stay on the phone while driving: "Yes, keep going straight, right past the gas station ... Sorry I got disconnected ... Road bumps? What road bumps? Where are you?" Avoid that frustration, just get a navigation system and call it a day. It'll tell you how far to go, where to turn, and where to stop. It'll also show you all surrounding roads. Keyless entry: This has got to be one of the most practical options you can get on a car. Hold the handle and the car unlocks, as does the trunk, as long as you've got the fob in your pocket. It's a brilliant feature especially when you're carrying stuff or it's raining. No need to fumble with keys. No risk of dropping them. And once you're inside, start the car without the key; just press the button. Collision sensors: This nifty feature alerts you when a you get too close to the car in front of you, and even applies the brakes for you in case you are, say, dozing off, or fiddling with one of the other features I mentioned above. The list of new car tech is virtually endless, and as I said before, some you can live without. However, many features are simply smart to have because if we're going to spend so much time in our cars, we might as well reduce the sources of stress to more manageable levels. ___ (c)2014 The Daily Star (Beirut, Lebanon) Visit The Daily Star (Beirut, Lebanon) at www.dailystar.com.lb/ Distributed by MCT Information Services |