IT’S GOOD TO KNOW…
Stop/Start technology is fitted on most new cars, or comes as an option. It automatically cuts your engine when you’re at the lights or stuck in traffic, and reactivates it when you’re ready to go, which saves you money on fuel and reduces emissions.
City Safety is just one name for Autonomous braking. Radar – or laser and cameras – watches the road for obstructions. The car warns you of anything ahead and brakes if you aren’t quick enough, reducing the risk of a low-speed crash – and helping with your insurance premiums.
Car park prangs cost British motorists £716 million a year, but Park Assist will enable your car to park itself. Sensors scan for a space that’s large enough and the car steers itself into place, leaving you to select the gears and work the accelerator and brake.
Tiredness causes 25 per cent of motorway accidents, so if you drive regularly, think about using a Driver Alert System. It monitors the distance travelled and driver’s reactions, and if it senses you’re tiring, will warn you to take a break.