Page 55 - 2021 Atlanta Auto Show Guide

Automotive 4. Teen Driver Technology By combining cameras on every side of the car with some
While only one company currently offers the Teen Driver
clever tech, your car’s display can show a virtual top-down
Technologies suite of features, it’s a big one: General Motors. That means view of your surroundings. It can show the sides of your
of 2021 that some Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac cars, trucks, garage or whether you’re between the parking lines at the
grocery store. It can also provide invaluable assistance
and SUVs are available with this bundle. Teen Driver serves
as a safeguard for new drivers, putting parents’ minds at while parallel parking.
ease when handing over the key fob. The system can noti-
fy you if the car is driven over a certain speed, disable the You can find these camera systems on a wide range of ve-
audio if seatbelts aren’t in use, filter out explicit content (if hicles, many of which are moderately priced.
your car comes with SiriusXM Satellite Radio), and can set
a volume limit on the sound system. There’s even a Report 8. Video Rearview Mirror
Card that will tell parents if safety systems like ABS or for- Have you ever had to come back from a supply run with
ward collision alert have been triggered while your kid was so much stuff in your car’s interior that it blocks the rear
behind the wheel. window, making the rearview mirror useless? A video rear-
view mirror uses a rear-mounted camera to display the
5. Exit Warning to Protect Cyclists view behind the car. This type of mirror is in the same spot
Riding a bike is a constant challenge in the city. Riders as the traditional mirror and is the same size, but you can
have to be as concerned with parked cars as they are with toggle between the mirror view or the video setting when
the moving vehicles. A feature that helps riders and driv- you want to use it.
ers alike is the exit warning. The alert uses rear-looking
sensors to detect approaching bicycles and traffic. That 9. Stolen Vehicle Tracking Software
ensures that a passenger doesn’t open a car door just as a More than 720,000 motor vehicles were stolen last year.
cyclist comes by. Yes, that number sounds shocking, but more than 56 per-
cent were recovered. That percentage is up significantly
Exit warning systems work for several minutes after the from even a year ago. Much of the
engine shut-off. If the sensors see an approaching bicyclist credit goes to innovative built-in
or vehicle, they alert the passenger with a series of bright technology that enables law en-
lights. The most advanced systems will physically lock the forcement to find them.
door to prevent it from being swung open into the path of
the approaching object. The technology is part of the assistance and security sys-
tems such as Subaru Starlink, Kia UVO, Hyundai Blue Link,
6. Wireless Smartphone Charging and Connectivity and GM OnStar. In addition to providing diagnostics, con-
The combination of wireless smartphone connectivity and cierge, and post-crash notification for summoning rescue
charging is available in more models than in the past, but services, they can pinpoint a vehicle’s exact location.
it’s more common on higher trim levels and luxury models.
If you want to charge your phone while on the go in a car 10. Blind-Spot View Monitor
with a more reasonable price, look for a car with just wire- Many drivers like the idea of having an easy-to-view screen
less charging. This system typically uses a charging pad that shows you what’s on either side of your car when you
where you rest your phone. One of the better-known types prepare to change lanes. The video-based blind-spot view
is called Qi. It’s quick and easy to set up and use. monitor uses a small camera on either side of
your car to display what traffic may be in the
7. 360-Degree Camera lane next to you. These warnings can help pre-
While rear cross-traffic assist helps to avoid collisions when vent you from hitting another car or a person
backing out of a parking space or driveway, a 360-degree on a bicycle or motorcycle. There are differ-
camera can make sure you don’t hit anything while you’re ent versions of this technology, but we prefer
parking. Not only can this keep your car scratch- and dent- easy-to-see displays within the gauge
free, but it can reduce insurance claims from low-speed cluster, such as in Genesis, Kia, and
crashes. This camera is a great help when parking a large Hyundai vehicles.
vehicle.
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