CHAPTER 5Technology 0n wheelsGone are the days when your car was just a mechanical contraption with four wheels that got you from point A to B. These days, it is more like a supercomputer on wheels, with possibly more than 100 mini computer systems controlling everything from the door locks and brakes to

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the starter and ignition system.Cars are becoming more and more high-tech as automakers work towards making safer vehicles that are also easier and more enjoyable to drive. There is loads of car technology out there (some technology is more useful than the others!). Here are some of the most useful and fun features that you should consider having in your car.

Bye Bye to parallel parkinG woesFor the fifth time, Jack is trying to reverse his car into that ever-so-tricky parallel parking bay. Will I ever get this right, he asks himself. In the meantime, a long queue of cars has lined up behind him. Some of the drivers are amused at the Jack parallel parking sideshow; others are getting dangerously hot

under the collar because they’re being delayed. As the stress builds up, Jack starts to think how nice it would be if someone could park the car for him – or better still, if the car could just park itself.

The thing is – it can! If it has an Active Park Assist feature, that is. To activate the system, just press a centre console button which activates ultrasonic sensors that measure and identify a feasible parking space. It then calculates the optimal steering angle and quickly steers the vehicle into the parking spot for you – hands free. The driver must maintain control of the vehicle by shifting the transmission and operating the accelerator and brake pedals. Yippee, hassle-free parking. Plus you never ever need be embarrassed at your parallel parking skills again!

DeFyinG GravityRolling backwards on an incline can be scary. Ask Jack. The last time he attempted to pull off on an incline, the car rolled back and he ended up rearranging the front bumper of the car behind him (that car’s owner wasn’t particularly pleased with the new arrangement).

If you don’t want to play bumper cars with the vehicle behind, your best bet is to pick a car with a Hill Launch Assist feature. It prevents your car from rolling back for up to three seconds as your foot travels from the brake to the accelerator pedal.

As soon as sufficient engine torque is available, the feature releases the brakes

without the risk of stalling or rolling backwards. This also eliminates the need to engage the handbrake to hold the car momentarily, leading to a smooth and simple start when pulling away on a hill or in one of those multi-storey car parks. It transforms even the most junior of drivers into geniuses.

Music on wheelsCDs … what are they? Cassette tapes … never heard of them! You can now test the acoustics in your car and turn it into your personal rock concert by playing music from your MP3 player, USB stick or phone. You don’t even have to worry about battery power on long journeys – the system charges your device as you play it.

Over 100The number of mini computers in the average car

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Car of the futureWhat do you think cars will look like in the next 10 to 20 years? That was the question we posed to J Mays, group vice president of design and chief creative officer, Ford Motor Company. Here’s what the designer behind Ford’s personality-driven Start concept car has to say…

To activate the microphone that detects your voice command, Jill simply presses a button next to the steering wheel and speaks her command. If she wants to access her climate control system, for instance, she just says “Climate”. Or, for the phone, she says “Phone” and so on. The system allows Jill to receive and make phone calls, and also access her mobile’s phone book and calling history… all hands free.

at one with your carThe latest buzzwords in car technology are “seamless integration”, meaning that automakers are finding ways to help you connect with your car so that you won’t have to leave your communications,

digital information or favourite music behind while on the road.

For example, Ford has built on its award-winning SYNC device connectivity system to deliver an intuitive connected driver experience called MyFord. It replaces many of the traditional vehicle buttons, knobs and gauges. With more

"From an exterior standpoint, it’s going to be more of the same. Exterior design is always going to be the thing that characterises first and foremost, what the car should represent in the customer’s mind. But over the last 10 years, interior design has become more and more important because that’s where people spend all of their driving time."

look Ma, no hanDsOne of the funkiest yet affordable features of new cars today is Bluetooth® with Voice Control. This allows you to operate your mobile, climate control and audio system using voice-activated commands – all wirelessly. Practically, this leaves you free to keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. This feature helps Jack to drive safely, even as he chats with his buddies.Bluetooth® is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc., and is used under licence.

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voice commands, clear, crisp LCD screens that can be customised and five-way buttons such as those on cell phones and MP3 players, drivers can choose which information is front and centre through a button click, voice command or touch-screen tap.

Developed with Microsoft, Ford SYNC is an advanced software platform that allows motorists such as Jack and Jill the convenience and flexibility to bring digital media players and Bluetooth®-enabled mobile phones into their vehicle and operate the devices via voice commands or with the steering wheel’s radio controls. In the U.S., it can even deliver personalised traffic reports, precise turn-by-turn directions and

up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather – without the need for a built-in navigation system.

The new thing that is probably going to dominate car design in the next 10 years is going to be the human-machine interface, where all the navigation takes place inside the car. The human-machine interface will become increasingly sophisticated with voice activation and multi touch-screen technology. Cars are becoming more like rolling computers and that’s going to transform the way people drive. It’s also going to transform the way we design automobiles.

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