Did you know features like Hidden storage, Hidden hooks, Neck warmers, road condition indicators, Built-In hidden Vacuum cleaners, etc., exist? In the modern world, Automobiles are the incubators of rich and robust technology. The rate at which innovations are advancing in the automotive industry only continues to accelerate as costs diminish. People are keener to know more about automobiles since their growing industry with upcoming new and unique inventions. When it comes to cars, people explore a lot since it is fascinating to them. If a person is buying a car, he will see two most important things, the engine and its Features. Nowadays, both high-tech (and some low-tech) features in cars are focusing more on vehicle safety and making the driving experience more pleasurable. Let us look at some exciting and weird features.
1. Gas Tank Locator Arrow
You may have pulled into a gas station with your car or a rental car, and several times, you may forget which way your gas filler cap is. A wrong guess might cost you some extra fuel which can be saved if only you had seen the triangular shape arrow next to the fuel gauge icon. This triangular icon points in the direction of the Valve in your car. It has been standard in most cars, but some do not even know it exists.
2. Drowsiness Detector
Drowsiness detection systems are developed by companies like Mercedes, Volvo, and Nissan to prevent accidents caused due to sleeplessness. Numerous of these systems will display a coffee mug on the dash. In Volvo, the rear-facing camera scans the driver and monitors eye and head movements to sense the sleep onset. In the Mercedes Attention Assist System, the steering wheel vibrates when it senses that the driver is starting to swerve, guiding the vehicle back into its lane.
3. Driver Assistant
Nowadays, cars like Tesla have inbuilt computers which automatically drive by themselves and prevent various accidents using inbuilt Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including Parking Assistance, Downhill Assistance, Automatic Emergency Breaking System, etc. These features will use radar and laser systems to scan the road ahead and behind and alert the driver of upcoming hazards. In some cases, it may respond automatically if the reaction time of the driver is slow to prevent any accident.
4. Conversation Mirror
Some call it a Conversation mirror, and some call it a Talking mirror. It is a small convex mirror that allows the driver or front seat passengers to get a better view of rear seat passengers. It helps to monitor their children, pets, etc., while driving. KIA, Hyundai, and Toyota developed this idea of curved glass that allows you to see the entire Interior from the front seats.
5. Umbrella
Luxurious cars like Rolls Royce have hidden compartments for umbrellas. Still, not everyone can afford Rolls Royce, so car companies like Skoda and Japanese Nissan Pulsar also introduced rain-dogging items for their customers and came up with a hidden narrow compartment near the door panel for Umbrellas.
6. Hidden Vacuum Cleaner
Who does not like to keep their cars clean? Most people spend so much money to keep their vehicles as new as possible. Still, no matter how well you wash them, it is easy for a newly cleaned car to go from spotless to a disaster in a matter of time, so now many cars manufacturers have come up with built-in vacuum cleaners in cars so that even a tiny spot or crumbs drop can be taken care of right away.
7. Road Condition Indicator
Fog and rain can reduce visibility, and Ice, on the other hand, is more dangerous since it can render roads so slippery that even a trained driver at a low speed might suffer a lot. This device lets the driver know an indicating icon or a brief audible warning if the road ahead is snowy, wet, slippery, or any other crucial road condition necessary to know about.
8. Lane Assisting Sensors
Since cars have built-in computers, you do not need to worry much since the Lane Assisting sensors alarm us to maintain the right lane. This technology uses sensors and a camera positioned at the front of a vehicle (the mountain behind the windshield) to read the route ahead that tracks the road markings and gives us warning either visually or with a sound or both that we are going in a wrong path. It also physically corrects itself.
9. Hidden Storage
When we need to put several random items, we need a compartment. Some of it you may have already seen and used daily to keep a bottle or important papers, but do you know some cars have additional storage compartments which are invisible to the naked eye since it is kept hidden under the seats, under the trunk and some under the floors too.
10. Anti-Lock Braking System
Anti-lock braking systems have been around for a while now. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) uses sensors at the front of the vehicle to help determine if you are about to hit the car in front. AEB can use sonar systems or a camera system that determines when it will activate. AEB can also detect if you are not using enough of your brakes to help you safely stop your vehicle.
11. Hooks
Hooks are one of the most valuable devices invented by humans. Hooks are also available in automobiles, some are visible, and some are not. They can be in front seats, above rear doors, and on the headliner, and there may be one pop-out hook in the boot or somewhere around passenger seat, where we can hang items, fasten things when seats are down, etc.
12. Aluminum Body
Reducing the weight of vehicles is one of the best ways to make car energy efficient since they will require less power and fuel to move, whether it is diesel, natural gas, gasoline, or electricity. Aluminum is often the material choice because it can be as or stronger than steel and weigh much less. It is also cheaper and gives cars more space for tech and safety.
13. Tire Pressure
All passenger vehicles must have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). It alerts the driver with a warning light that lets the driver know that a tire has lost pressure. You will see the exclamation mark in the yellow triangle when your air pressure is running low, and it can be helpful if you find a nail or some other debris affecting your tire.
14. Stability Control
How many times have you lost control of your vehicle while driving? Losing control can be hazardous, but thankfully, now the car manufacturers have provided a solution for this and offer us electronic stability control (ESC). This system constantly monitors all four wheels, and if it is beginning to slide out of control, the ESC will automatically correct the slide.
15. Rear-View Mirror Dimmer
It is a common feature in most cars, but still, many people do not know about it. It redirects the beam of light upwards and away from your eyes while giving you a good view of the vehicle behind you. The rear-view mirror dimmer should be adjusted manually in old cars, but in newer cars, the on and off buttons are provided, the feature will activate on its own after pressing them.
16. Blind Spot Monitoring
No matter how well you adjust mirrors, there is always a possibility of some blind spot, so this feature helps you track the vehicles around you. These sensors positioned at critical locations detect cars in blind spots of drivers and warn the driver of their presence by blinking orange (steady or rapidly according to the distance between the other vehicle and you) to help you when you want to merge lanes safely.
17. Improved Soundproofing
The soundproofing of cars has become one of the essential factors as it cancels out the outside noise from roads and traffic and makes our journey peaceful. Quiet Comfort Road Noise Control system actively counteracts unpleasant noises. This system uses sensors to measure the noises made by the car and produces a signal through the speakers that balance the noise.
18. Customized Mood Lightening
In recent years more car manufacturers are offering Ambient interior lighting as standard or optional. Depending upon the model, Cars offer mood lightening illuminating center console, door panels, across the dash, Footwells, and cup holders. Lights do not make cars safer but have some positive effects on drivers, and studies show that mood lightening increases drivers perceived safety as it not just enhances the apparent quality of the car materials and design but also helps to notice potential dangers faster and helps to find buttons and make cars controls easier to use.
19. Color Coding
Color coding can efficiently locate certain things quicker, like the Engine dipstick, the oil cap, the coolant, the brake fluid, the windscreen, etc. Your engine has color-coded wiring and hardware that helps to identify the required part during maintenance. It allows people to know what exactly they are doing under the hood.
20. Neck Warmers
To keep the passengers comfortable, the Car companies like BMW, Audi, and Mercedes Benz offer neck warmers, especially for those who wish to keep the roof of their convertible open in colder weather. It works by blowing warm air out of the headsets. The temperature is adjustable according to a person’s need. It keeps the passengers nice and warm even while driving.
