Safer times

The list of standard features that are now in new vehicles is so extensive they often run into pages in brochures — and it’s not a bad thing at all.

In the early 1990s you had to pay for the privilege of having a stereo in your new Japanese vehicle while airbags were also optional — and let’s not start on electric windows.

But now car companies know customers expect and demand an ever-increasing list of standard features, with Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto Smartphone the latest technology owners can’t live without.

I’m one of those drivers who love Apple CarPlay and the technology has improved recently with the voice command now having more intonation and a polite reply to requests, such as “let me know if you need anything”.

Sure the voice command’s pronunciation still causes me to grimace — and ditto the satnav voice command’s mangling of Maori names.

A feature I think should be standard for all new vehicles is blind spot monitoring (that warns you in your side mirrors if vehicles are in your blind spot). Brands such as Mazda NZ should be praised for making it standard in some of cheapest cars, such as the Mazda2 GSX.

I’m also a fan of a digital speedo especially if it’s prominent in the driver’s display. Kudos to more brands that are introducing this feature. The next level to that for driver aid is head up display — another feature that has had a major improvement, with satnav directions shown on the windscreen as well as the speed limit.

But technology is about to take a major leap forward in the next few years — with Mercedes-Benz about to reveal the next generation of artificial intelligence at the global reveal next week of the A-Class. Stay tuned to Driven.co.nz for our review. And, to read more about safety features, turn to p35.