MOTORS experts have offered some insight into the new car features they can’t live without.
Surround-view camera, Apple CarPlay, and speed limiters are just some of the new car features that make life as a driver so much better.
Anthony Crawford, a co-founder of the popular website CarAdvise, wrote for CarExpert.com that he would never buy a car without Apple CarPlay.
He wrote: “Let me put it this way. There’s no chance I would purchase a new car without Apple CarPlay, both from a convenience and ease-of-use sense.
“To be able to switch between phone, messages, music and navigation, as well as other apps like Waze and Spotify most of which can be activated by voice command is pure magic – and from an Apple perspective, it’s only going to get better.”
According to Apple, “CarPlay is a smarter, safer way to use your iPhone while you drive.
“You can get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, and enjoy your favorite music.
“All on your car’s built-in display. And CarPlay now features more app categories and custom wallpapers for your CarPlay Dashboard.
As for the second top new car feature that’s tough to live without, William Stopford, a News Editor at CarExpert, says it’s a surround-view camera
He explained in the opinion piece: “When I was shopping for my current car, I made a list of all the features I wanted it to have.
“This included things like keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
“The only feature my Hyundai Genesis didn’t have from that list was Android Auto, which remains an annoyance.”
Stopford also pointed out that the Hyundai Genesis comes with unneeded items he’s grown to love, like “a powered boot-lid, auto hold and soft-close doors.
He added: “A surround-view camera was on that list, and I thoroughly appreciate it – so much so that I feel like, to be frank, it has made me a worse parker.”
“A surround-view camera is so damn confidence-inspiring, it has become a must-have for me. Probably for the worse.”
According to MotorTrend, a car’s 360-degree camera system “provides you with a real-time view of the area surrounding your car.”
“The 360-degree camera tech combines the perspectives of several video cameras placed around the vehicle into one image, typically a top-down view,” MotorTrend states on its website.
“As you maneuver into a parking space, the 360-degree camera system shows nearby obstacles, helping you avoid impacts.
Additionally, a speed limiter is another must-have for one car expert when purchasing a new car.
Jade Credentino, a journalist at CarExpert, praised the speed limiter feature in new cars as being “so handy.”
Credentino explained: “I think there are a lot of luxuries I’ve come to expect as standard but something every new car should have is a speed limiter.
“I’m not someone who speeds traditionally, I have a clean driving record (touch wood) until now.
“However, sometimes when you’re driving on a freeway with the traffic you can lose track of your speed as you’re paying attention to the road (if there is no head-up display).
“This feature prevents that, as no matter how hard you press on the accelerator it won’t tip you over. If you do need to accelerate for safety reasons, it’s a very easy push of a button to disable.”
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