10 Vehicle Features We Didn't Know We Needed

I haven't had a chance to update in awhile (I feel like I can only use this excuse so much) but today I am finally get around to posting some new material. Working with cars and around cars, you begin to learn and understand how they tick and what makes them work. New vehicles are extremely intuitive and safe, with features that can monitor your blind spot and even actively pull you back in your lane if you swerve out. Eventually, vehicles will be driving themselves. I wish I was kidding but this is a reality we should all be ready to face.
Some vehicle features, once used, are so sorely missed and desired on new vehicles that customers mentally add them to a list of "must-haves" when making a vehicle purchase. Today, I want to outline a few features I think are some of the most useful and successful with new car customers.

Heads-Up Display

The heads-up display has found prominence in the luxury car market and has even trickled down into mainstream markets as well. BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz all offer their own iteration of a heads-up display which put simply displays a variety of useful information such as current speed, navigation directions, and media options. The reason this is so useful is because it allows drivers to make inputs without taking their eyes off the roads so it has a two-fold use.

Hands Free Trunk/Liftgate

An ingenious yet simple idea that will surely catch on to most modern vehicles. It allows the driver to open the trunk or rear hatch of a vehicle by simply waving their foot under the rear bumper. When you have a hand full of groceries, children or any sort of luggage this is seriously a welcome feature. Ford has implemented the technology on the Escape, Volkswagen on the Passat and multiple German luxury brands.

Easy Fill Tire Alert

Nissan has introduced this innovative feature for their most recent generation of the Altima. How the system works is when you fill any of your airs with tires, there is no need for a gauge anymore. As you fill the tire, the car will honk the horn when the amount reaches the recommended psi. This eliminates the need for dealership visits for filling up tires and pesky low-tire notifications.

Surround View Cameras

Recently, the camera has become an automotive staple once reserved for the luxury market it is available on nearly every mainstream vehicle and for a great reason. But one camera was simply not enough for automakers, they wanted improved and intuitive use. Range Rover on new models has actually integrated five cameras on a single vehicle that can combine to form a birds-eye view if you will. This combined with parking sensors surround the vehicle, you can trust that your $80,000 luxury SUV will remain scratch free.

In-Vehicle Wi-fi and LTE Connectivity

Chevrolet has been on the surge to turn their brand around by offering more premium vehicles with much improved dynamics and features. One such innovation, which Audi is also working on, is in car connectivity. How it works is it makes your vehicle a mobile hotspot, allowing you to connect and use data sent from the vehicle. Although, yes, this could lead to safety concerns, the idea is extremely innovative and is something sure to be seen on higher-end vehicles and eventually mainstream makers.

Dynamic Suspension Adjustment

A neat feature that is quickly showing up in all sorts of vehicle segments from mid-size family sedans to extremely high end performance vehicles. This electronically adjusts aspects of the vehicle such as steering effort, suspension stiffness and engine response to change your vehicle from a comfortable cruiser to a full blown sports car. Customers love choices, and this opens up even more doors we didn't know existed.

Heated Windshield Wipers

Along with defrosters in the front window as well as the back window, companies are taking this approach even farther. Range Rover and Jaguar have long utilized a fully heated windshield which is much more effective and responsive than a typical defroster. One new innovation that is rising is heated windshield wipers. When the blades are encased in ice, they actually warm themselves up and free themselves which also clearing the ice on the windshield. Brilliant.

Panoramic Sunroofs and Moonroofs

A feature that has actually been around for quite some time but it still extremely important and aesthetically pleasing. Panoramic sunroofs essentially utilize the unused space on the roof to accommodate extra panels of glass. This gives the vehicle and larger, airier feel and is a delight to passengers. It offers the benefits of a standard sunroof two fold.

Self-Healing Paint

An extremely innovative and useful feature that Nissan has released within recent years is the concept and execution of self healing paint. How it works is somewhat complicated, but in short in utilizes sun rays as well as special polymers within the paint surface to fill and hide light scratches. Sadly, it may not be able to heal from the deep key marks left from a now past relationship.

Active Blind Spot Monitoring

One of the biggest hurdles of vehicle operation is blind spots. These are zones that either are hidden by body panels or are out reach by the side mirrors or a combination of both, easily one of the most frustrating issues. Automakers have created a simple but very effective fix with blind spot monitors. They used special sensors located on the rear of the vehicle to detect any sort of presence in a spot that would be unsafe to navigate in to. A double benefit is that vehicles with such safety features also gets more slack on insurance costs.

-Cameron