Guide to new car technology

To help make driving safer and more comfortable, new cars are increasingly being fitted with safety assist technology. This technology helps avoid collisions and, in some cases, even lets the car partly or wholly drive autonomously.

These days, no car can get a 5-star ANCAP safety rating without having some sort of safety technology.

Keep in mind that while innovative new technology is great, it should never be used to compensate for a tired, distracted or lazy driver.

However, combining new car assist technology and features with safe driving habits is a great way to help decrease your chances of a serious accident.

Autonomous emergency braking

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is quickly becoming a commonplace inclusion in new vehicles. It uses sensors to warn the driver about collisions and, if necessary, autonomously apply the brakes. Cars with AEB have sensors, cameras, LIDAR (light detection and ranging) and radar systems to detect cars, humans, cyclists and large animals in the front and to the sides of the vehicle.

The software constantly monitors and then alerts the driver of possible collisions. Some cars sound an audio alert or vibrate the steering wheel, others have voice commands. If no action is taken and a collision is imminent, AEB will do what its name suggests and slows down or stop the vehicle.

Adaptive cruise control

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) has taken analogue cruise control and enhanced it. Using sensors and cameras, the cruise control system can automatically increase or decrease speed based on what is happening up ahead and maintain a preset distance. More advanced systems can bring the car to a complete stop (in traffic, for example) and then accelerate back to travelling speed when appropriate. Car manufacturers occasionally have their own names for ACC. These include Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (Tesla) and Toyota Safety Sense.

Adaptive headlights

Your eyes follow the road but traditional headlights do not. That's where adaptive headlights come in. They are linked to the steering system and swivel based on your direction of travel to follow the road. This greatly enhances visibility during night drives.

High beam assist

High beam assist detects oncoming traffic and dips your high beams accordingly. Helpfully, this can also be combined with an adaptive headlight system.

Electric and hybrid vehicles

The uptake of electric and hybrid vehicles has been slower in Australia than in other markets. This is due to a number of factors, one being the lower number of electric charging stations. But there have been a number of electric and hybrid vehicles released by manufacturers in recent years including Volvo and Nissan. If you're looking to save on fuel and do your bit for the environment, you can consider your electric or hybrid options.

Blind-spot detection/monitoring

Having more eyes on the road is always a good thing and blind spot detection/monitoring helps with exactly that. Cars fitted with blind-spot detection have sensors that scan the sides of your vehicle and flash warning lights in your mirrors if there is a car or object in your blind spot.

Basic systems beep if you attempt to change lanes when it's not safe to do so and more advanced versions will intervene by auto-steering or braking, preventing you from changing lanes.

Emergency assist

Emergency assist (sometimes called emergency call) detects if the car has been involved in a serious accident and automatically contacts emergency services. In some vehicles, it activates when the airbags deploy. It can also guide emergency services to the car's location.

Lane departure warning

This feature could be a saviour for those who are momentarily distracted. It warns the driver, either through steering wheel vibrations or beeping, when the car changes lanes "unintentionally".

The systems use a range of inputs to determine how drowsy the driver is or if the car is changing lanes without indication.

Rear cross-traffic alert

These are sensors on the back of the vehicle that helps the driver avoid collisions when reversing. The system monitors both sides of the car and warns the driver of any incoming objects. Advanced systems will autonomously brake if something is detected.

Parking assist

If you can find a parking spot, parking assist will help get you into it. Cameras and sensors judge whether you will fit into the spot and if so, will guide your car in. It works for both reverse and parallel parking.

360-degree imaging

This is just like a reverse camera but for all sides of the vehicle. External images from around the car are displayed on the dash to help when parking or performing fine manoeuvres.

Lane keep assist (LKA)

Lane keep assist goes by a few different names, but how it works remains the same. The vehicle detects if you're veering out of your lane without indicating and intervenes to steer you back on course. The system will sound a lane departure warning first.

You can get LKA-equipped cars from many major car brands now. They ordinarily have a camera to detect road markings.

Driver attention detection

Several automotive manufacturers now incorporate a form of driver alertness monitoring, and it might have a different label depending on the brand. It works by judging a driver's steering input, the vehicle's positioning in the lane and things like your posture, eyes and head direction to see if you've fallen asleep. Volkswagen's software can even identify if a driver is having a medical emergency and pull compatible cars safely to a stop.

Speed alert/intelligence speed assist

A car with a speed alert assist will prompt you if you're over the limit and some vehicles even let you set your own upper boundary.

Pre-collision assist

Pre-crash or pre-collision assist takes the readings of driver inputs, sensors and cameras and can prepare the occupants for a smash. This may be done through tensioning the seat belts to restrict movement, altering seat positions to optimise airbag deployment and even closing the windows or sunroof. When combined with AEB, pre-collision assist can mitigate or avoid an incident altogether.

Traffic sign recognition system

Traffic sign recognition enables a car to interpret speed signs and other road markers. It then displays a graphic on the instrument cluster or head-up display. Some cars will even detect school zones.

Bottom line

Like all new technology, new car tech is not perfect and some of it is still being improved. Expect instances where the sensors and computers simply cannot deal with the complexity of the situation. Most of this technology is also driver "assist", not driver "replacement". It still needs a competent operator to work with it and can be let down by human or technological error.

The biggest critique of this new technology is that it can cause drivers to become less attentive and lazier. However, if used in conjunction with good driving habits, it could mean the difference between a few little electronic beeps and a major accident.

Written by

Elizabeth Barry

Lead Editor

Elizabeth Barry was the lead editor for Finder. She has over 10 years' experience writing about a range of topics with a focus on personal finance. You’ll find her writing and commentary in a range of publications and media including Seven News, the ABC, MSN, the Irish Times and Singapore Business Review. See full bio

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