Be prepared to be amazed
Even lower-priced vehicles now offer rear-view cameras, adaptive cruise and Bluetooth
Today’s cars are a technological treasure trove — so much so that figuring out what features to look for, especially when shopping for your first car, can be a huge challenge.
To help ease that burden, here’s a list of some tech features you may want to consider.
ABS, ESC and airbags The Canadian government took one big variable out of the shopping equation in September 2011 by making Electronic Stability Control (ESC) — skid control — mandatory on all new cars sold here that were manufactured after that date.
ABS (anti-lock brake system) is inherent in ESC, so that’s now standard, too.
Smaller gasoline engines, with direct fuel injection as well as multispeed transmissions — six, seven or eight speeds, or CVTs (continuously variable transmission) are the latest trend
So if you’re shopping for new cars, you’re covered.
But if you’re looking at a pre-2012 used model, double-check that it has at least ABS and preferably ESC as well.
Also check the car’s airbag quotient. Most newer cars, although not all, include side-impact airbags, at least for front-seat occupants. Look for one that does.
Rear-view camera & proximity warning Current plans will make rear-view cameras (backup cameras) mandatory on new cars by 2017.
They project an image of what’s behind the vehicle on a screen inside the car.
They’re already available on many models, even in the lower price ranges, and help the driver see people or objects that may not be visible otherwise, as well as aid backing into a parking place.
Alower-priced alternative is a proximity warning system, which emits an audible signal when approaching another vehicle or object.
The signal intensifies as the object gets closer.
For those with a real parking pho- bia, several models, even in the lower price range, now offer automatic parking systems that steer the car into place.
Comfort & convenience Features like cruise control and heated seats and mirrors are far from cutting edge technologies, but they are effective and can make your driving life immensely more pleasant.
In highway and expressway driving, cruise control can not only help deter fatigue, it can help save your driver’s licence from speeding infractions.
Many new models offer adaptive cruise control, which not only maintains a constant speed but a constant distance behind a vehicle ahead, even when it slows down.
As for heated seats and mirrors, this is Canada. Enough said! (Some models now offer heated steering wheels, too!).
Communication & infotainment In many respects, today’s cars can be considered big mobile communication devices, depending on how far you want to take them in that direction.
Most models now offer auxiliary inputs for external devices and Bluetooth connectivity for smartphones.
Beyond that threshold, the sky is literally the limit, with choices ranging from satellite radio and concierge services such as OnStar to real-time navigation and full-on Internet connectivity, all activated by voice control.
You can even turn your car into a mobile hotspot and stream movies to the kids in the back seat.
Fuel efficiency In terms of technology, there are multiple routes to fuel efficiency in vehicles.
Hybrids and diesels are effective alternatives but both tend to be expensive.
The latest trend is toward smaller gasoline engines, with direct fuel injection and sometimes turbocharging, as well as multispeed transmissions — six, seven or eight speeds — or CVTs (continuously variable transmission).
If considering a CVT, be sure to drive the car first, since there are big differences among them and not everybody likes all their characteristics.
Perhaps the biggest efficiency bang for the buck, especially in city driving, comes from automatic stop-start systems, which are now becoming widely available.
They automatically shut the engine off when the car comes to a stop, such as at a traffic light, and restart it when the brake is released. No idling, no wasted fuel.