Trust in the Name
Comforts, Conveniences, and the Coolness Factor Characterize 2008–2009 Cars
Next year, they’ll be standard on cars in the mid-price range, and no longer be considered luxury options.
“That’s just how it goes,” says Mark Belton of Aristocrat Motors. “New options and features are always introduced at the high end. And they work their way down. Within two or three years, a new innovation first made available on an $80,000 car will be standard equipment on many vehicles selling for $35,000. GPS navigation systems, iPod and iPhone docking stations, and DVD players are perfect examples. Not long ago, you could only find those features as options on luxury automobiles. Now they’re commonplace on your typical family car.”
So, if luxury amenities and features are the leading edge of automotive innovation in comfort, convenience, safety, and just-plain coolness, what’s out there on the horizon? Belton says that checking the lists of options on new models is the best way to predict what tomorrow’s most popular features will be.
"There’s some really interesting new technology
that makes driving safer,” Belton explains. “Examples
include lane departure signals that warn a driver if the
car drifts into another lane; a special radar that lets
you know if there’s a vehicle in your blind-spot, and
head-up instrument displays that let you see your
speed, mileage, RPMs, temperature, radio controls, etc.
without having to take your eyes off the road. Also, you’re
seeing more use of side-view and rearview cameras to
give the driver a virtual 360 degree view around the
outside of the vehicle. Finally, some of the high-end cars
offer as many as ten airbags, including knee airbags.”
Belton says that some of the new features available
are designed to eliminate—or at least mitigate—operator error.
“Driving is getting easier all the time with some of these newer features. For example, a parking assist sonar is available that helps you park without jumping the curb, bumping the cars behind you, or scraping your wheel covers. And real time traffic information is becoming increasingly popular and common on a lot of vehicles. They’re not exactly safety features, but they do help protect guys like me from making boneheaded mistakes.”
Other unique features to look for on new model upscale vehicles include steering wheel shift-paddles, xenon directional headlights, four zone heating and cooling systems, sound system enhancements—such as the ability to download CDs into an onboard MP3 player while simultaneously listening to them, voice recognition and voice command capability for control of onboard instrumentation.
“Then there are the borderline-silly amenities like
cupholders that keep your drink warm or cold,” says
Belton. “But these are more popular that you’d think.
People have come to expect that their automobiles
will come equipped with all the comforts of home.
Your car has become an extension of your living room,
your office, and even your kitchen.”
Belton notes that consumers looking for the widest
range of cutting-edge options and amenities may be
surprised to find them on some unexpectedly affordable
cars.
“Ironically, some of the coolest features are only
available right now on some of our entry-level luxury
cars. The best example of that is the C-Class Mercedes.
It’s Mercedes most recently re-designed vehicle.
That’s why it comes with all the newest bells and
whistles. The most expensive models won’t offer some of
these options until next model year or the year after.”
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