We live in an age where every aspect of our lives is affected by the ever-changing nature of technology. The automotive world is no exception and the driving on the roads today is an eternity away from what it was, say, half a century ago. Then, it was mostly manual and required the driver to be in full control at all times.

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That is not the case today with the advent of some pretty fancy tech gadgetry that has completely changed the driving experience of most modern cars. Some may argue that the interference is too much and it has taken away the thrill of driving. That is a debate for another day, but there is no denying the fact that these gadgets have opened the doors to a whole new experience on the roads.

10 Adaptive Cruise Control

Adaptive-Cruise-Control
Maserati

The origin of Cruise Control dates back to the late 1940s. The early forms were quite simple in design, allowing the driver to set a particular cruising speed at which the car would then travel until the system was disengaged. However, this did not help in a busy traffic situation where one had to constantly alternate between speeding up and slowing down the vehicle.

adaptive-cruise-control
via digitaltrends

The Adaptive Cruise Control, first introduced in 1999, solved this problem by using a system of radars and sensors that could automatically match the speed of vehicle ahead. Today, the system is even more refined and is a very useful addition in modern cars.

9 360-Degree Camera

360-Degree-Camera
via alibaba

A federal regulation in the United States now requires all new cars sold in the country to have backup cameras. This is to minimize the risk of running over pedestrians because the driver can’t see them, especially when reversing. However, more than a few modern cars go the full length by incorporating a comprehensive camera array that provides a full 360-degree view.

360-Degree-Camera.
via youtube

This helps the driver become even more aware of his vehicle’s surroundings especially when maneuvering in small spaces. Then, there’s also the fact that it looks pretty cool on your car’s display!

8 Parking Assist

Park-Assist
via maserati

This is a pretty nifty feature that helps the driver park his vehicle with greater accuracy and very little fuss. Drivers will find this feature extremely useful for tricky parallel parking or for sliding into narrow slots that would otherwise prove a challenge.

Park-Assist.
via youtube

Parking assist uses a guidance technology that incorporates a combination of cameras and sensors to guide your car expertly with very little driver input. In most cases, all the driver needs to do is just pull his car up next to the parking spot, engage a few buttons and let the car work its magic.

7 Automotive Night Vision

night-vision
via redandblackonline

Gone are the days when night vision was the exclusive preserve of military vehicles or futuristic concept cars. We now have production vehicles fitted with pretty advanced night vision technology. Most of them utilize an infrared setup that can detect objects like pedestrians or animals outside the range of the car’s headlights.

night-vision.
via playcrazygame

This allows some extra reaction time for the driver. For now, carmakers mostly offer this feature on their premium models but there are now third-party markets where you can get this system fitted on just about any car.

6 Active Anti-Roll Bars

2019-vw-touareg
via motor1

Anti-roll bars are very useful in improving the stability of a vehicle, especially when it’s going around a corner. However, this static anti-roll bars have a limitation because not every corner is the same. That’s where the active anti-roll bar proves its worth. This system utilizes a motor to apply torque as needed, to either side of the roll bar.

Anti-Roll-Bars
via carthrottle

The implication of this is that the bar can stiffen or flex out on the move, allowing the car to continuously correct for body-roll thus improving stability and ultimately, the overall driving experience.

5 Heads-Up Displays

navdy-head-up-display
via motor1

This is a modern car feature that actually serves a very practical function and is more than just a cosmetic addition. With Heads-Up displays, you get vital information such as vehicle speed, displayed right on the windscreen in front of the driver.

head-up-display
via cars

This reduces distractions because the driver can access key information without having to take his eyes off the road. Some systems will even allow you customize what information you want on the display and present you with an array of color options for added effect.

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4 Drowsiness Detection

eyeSight-Driver-Monitoring-Driver-Asleep
via israel21c

Driver fatigue is a leading cause of road-accidents and leads to thousands of fatalities every year. The drowsiness detection feature was introduced mainly to address this issue.

Drowser-Detection
via motorauthority

It works via a comprehensive internal system of cameras and sensors that monitors various attributes such as the driver’s position on the seat, ability to stay in lane, and even drooping eyes. The system is intelligent enough to pick warning signs of fatigue and then warn the driver through visual cues, seat vibration, or some other means.

3 Autonomous Driving

Autonomous-Driving
via roboticsbusinessreview

The peak of autonomous driving alludes to a situation where you can get into the car, tell it where you want to go using voice command and settle down for a cup of tea and possibly, a power nap.

Tesla-Self-driving-visualization
via electrek

Automotive technology is not quite there yet but there are pretty advanced autonomous systems on cars like BMW, Audi, Mercedes Benz and Tesla that can carry out activities like scout for vacant parking spots, tight corner parking or even take over complete control of the car in a traffic jam.

Related: 10 Gorgeous Design Features That Should Be On More Cars

2 Magnetic Ride Control

Magnetic-Ride-Control
via tylerchevrolet

The technology behind this system was actually pioneered by Cadillac in 2002 but today, it is found in several cars including high-performance Ferrari models. The system works via a setup that involves electronically controlled shock absorbers and sensors.

Magnetic-Ride-Control-Action
via roadandtrack

The sensors continuously assess the road surface and then adjust the shocks for better handling and ultimately, a smoother driving experience. It is a technology that has found useful applications in SUVs, Pickups, and supercars.

1 Anti-Collision Warning System

collision-avoidance-system
via procarecollision

As the name implies, this tech wizardry evaluates the surrounding situation and warns the driver of an impending collision so that preventive actions can be taken. In some cases, the car will even take this action for the driver by engaging the brakes to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

Anti-Collision-System.a
via subaru

It is a useful system to have in the car though it does have its drawacks. It can adopt an over-zealous nature and blare out a warning when there’s no threat or more alarmingly, bring the vehicle to a sudden halt when there is no need to do so.

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