Car Essentials: Tech Features

Tech features are not as vital as drivability and safety features, but they are still desirable – particularly in the day and age of smartphones, tablets and other electronic gadgets. The main purpose of modern “tech” accessories is to make the lives of car occupants as convenient as possible when they are on the road.

Below, Unhaggle lists some of the most widespread tech features currently available – standard or not.

Communications

Infotainment System

An infotainment system is an electronic setup that allows centralized access to the car’s entertainment and information functionalities, such as navigation, audio, phone calls, text messaging, smartphone-enabled apps and rear-seat entertainment. All of these can be accessed either through a touchscreen or controller (or, in some cases, both). Every single infotainment system is tied to a specific brand, which means that it is impossible to take one out and swap it for a different system.

Navigation System

A navigation system is a device that acquires position data from a satellite to locate the driver in its map database. Many such systems can also suggest directions to other locations along the road. All this information usually appears on the car’s central display screen. In the past, the majority of navigation systems belonged to the luxury segment, but today they can be found in mid-priced vehicles as well.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is the standard means of exchanging data wirelessly over long distances. It allows car owners to use their smartphones to make phone calls or stream audio without pressing a single button – but only as long as the mobile device itself is Bluetooth-enabled. The user can also control Bluetooth audio through the car’s original audio controls, while viewing the current track, artist and album on the vehicle’s audio display.

USB Port

A USB port is an industry standard outlet for connecting a variety of electronic devices – which can be done directly, like in the case of a USB stick, or indirectly, via a cable or adapter. In-car USB ports tend to be used for plugging in portable devices, like a smartphone or a tablet, in order to transfer music from the device to the car’s audio system.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a local-area wireless technology that lets electronic devices send and receive data or connect to the internet with the use of radio waves. Vehicles that have Wi-Fi allow users to access the internet via a laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Entertainment

CD Player

A CD player is an electronic device that plays audio CDs. CD players are a part of a car’s audio system, having replaced cassette decks in the 1990s. Today, CD players are not as widely used due to the popularity of wireless devices like smartphones and tablets.

Advanced Stereo

Stereo is a system that produces stereophonic sound, using two or more independent audio channels, which usually appear in the form of loudspeakers. Two-speaker stereos are now being replaced by what some refer to as “advanced stereo.” These setups involve high-powered amplifiers, four or more speakers and full audio systems from high-end audio companies like Bose, Mark Levinson and Monsoon.

Satellite Radio

Satellite radio is a radio service that is broadcast from satellites rather than terrestrial stations. Today, this feature can be found on a large number of cars and trucks. While it usually involves a monthly fee, it also provides access to hundreds of music and talk channels.

MP3 Port

An MP3 port is an industry standard outlet for connecting MP3 players. To keep up with the popularity of hand-held players, plenty of car models have begun featuring these ports, though they may soon be surpassed by USB ports due to their universality.

DVD Entertainment System

A DVD entertainment system is a set of devices that allow playback of DVD-based media. The system should include a TV screen, DVD player and remote control. Some DVD systems are installed by the car’s manufacturer, while others are added by the dealership. In most cases, they tend to be optional, since not every car owner needs one.

App Integration

App integration is the ability to access mobile apps through an infotainment system. The majority of such systems tend to rely on the user’s smartphone data connection to send and receive data, but there are some that use an embedded cellular modem. The latter requires the user to pay a monthly service fee. Common apps include Pandora radio, Bing Local Search, Stitcher Radio, The Weather Channel, Movietickets.ca, OpenTable, Aha radio and Glympse location sharing.

Security

Keyless Access and Start

Keyless access and start allow the user to enter and start their car without using a key. The setup relies on encrypted radio signals to wirelessly communicate with the owner’s key fob when it is brought close to the vehicle. It is also possible to lock and unlock the car by pressing a button or touching a sensor on the door handle. The same principle applies to the car’s ignition mechanism, which means that it is possible to start the vehicle with the push of a button.

Natural Voice Recognition

Natural voice recognition is a processor within a vehicle’s infotainment system that allows the user to perform certain tasks, such as phone calls, changing of radio stations and destination entry, simply by speaking them. Today’s voice recognition systems are particularly sophisticated since they can recognize less conventional commands. For example, instead of stating something as specific as “Tune to SiriusXM, channel 98,” a user can now say “Switch to channel 98.” It is also possible to name several commands in one go, which are known as “one-shot” commands.

Remote Vehicle Management

Remote vehicle management is a wireless function that lets users to control essential vehicle capabilities through a mobile device. This is usually accomplished by downloading a corresponding app from a designated digital distribution platform, which enables the owner to lock, unlock and start the vehicle from almost anywhere. Some systems even allow one to control climate settings or view important diagnostic data, like fuel levels.

Convenience

Adaptive Cruise Control

Cruise control is a system that can control the speed of a vehicle without needing the driver. However, today’s systems can do even more.

Many modern cars feature a variety of pre-collision systems for safety purposes. These tend to rely either on a millimeter wave radar or stereoscopic camera in order to observe the vehicle’s surroundings for any potential hazards. If the system spots an obstruction, it will immediately alert the driver with an audible or visual notice. Some systems can even apply brakes if the detected collision is deemed unavoidable.

New cruise control systems can use the aforementioned stereoscopic cameras and radar sensors to keep a proper following distance from the vehicle ahead. If that vehicle slows down, the system will reduce the speed or apply the brakes until the gap between the two vehicles is restored.

Seat Heater/Cooler

A seat heater is a heating device that resides beneath the seat cushion to keep the occupant’s body warm during cold weather conditions. There are also seats that keep their occupants cool – with similar mechanics behind them. These functions can usually be regulated through a thermostat or turned off altogether with the press of a button or switch.

Heated Mirrors

Heated mirrors are side mirrors, which can be heated in order to avoid fogginess on the glass.

Climate Control System

While most modern vehicles come with air conditioning, not all of them offer a full-blown climate control system. These systems tend to feature a computer with sensors that monitor the car’s interior air temperature to ensure that it is always at the level chosen by the user. It keeps the air the same no matter what by mixing cold and warm temperatures and continuously adjusting the balance between the two.

Some climate control systems also allow for “dual-zone” control, which means that the front passenger can set a different temperature for themselves. Multi-zone control lets the back passengers to do the same, but those tend to be available in more expensive vehicles only.

Power Locks and Windows

Power locks and windows are electric versions of regular locks and windows. These features are standard across all new vehicles being sold today. Previously, each lock had to be opened either by hand or key, while each window could be raised or lowered via a hand-turned crank handle. Now it is possible to perform these tasks by pressing a button or two.

Need more information? Be sure to visit the Unhaggle homepage or contact our customer service team if you have more questions.

Updated on March 26, 2013

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