If you’re planning on buying a new car in the next few months, you’ll probably have been keeping an eye on the latest technology updates to hit the market. Long gone are the days of buying a brand-new car that comes with just a stereo, in today’s world you’ll be hard pressed to find a car that doesn’t do something automatically for you in some shape or form!
Here’s 4 of the best technologies to look out for with your next car purchase.
Apps
Smartphones have revolutionised how we communicate and engage with each other, keeping in touch is so much easier professionally and personally. So, it’s no surprise that apps are now influencing how we interact with our cars. You can now get apps for locking and unlocking your car, checking your fuel levels and tyre pressure and there are even some that start your car in the morning, so it can warm up and start defrosting on those chilly mornings. I think it’s safe to say that smartphones and apps are here to stay!
Instant Bluetooth
Bluetooth Connectivity (https://www.bluetooth.com/) has become more and more popular with car manufacturers. Back in the day however, connecting to your cars Bluetooth was a notoriously painful experience. However today manufacturers are making this experience as delightful as possible and Honda have even devised a new technology whereby you simply tap your phone on a spot on your dashboard and hey presto your connected!
Hot & Cold
Heated seats have been around for some time but now manufacturers are also thinking about cooling. This summer the UK had the joint hottest summer on record, but I bet those car drivers who had cooled seating systems weren’t bothered! There are two different seat cooling methods on the market, ventilated and cooled. The first has small fans located within the seat which blow air against your body pushing the heat away and the latter has a small cooling element within the seat which is attached to the cars air conditioning system. Cool huh?
Apple Carplay
Many cars now come with infotainment systems which control the stereo, navigation, climate control etc. but they aren’t always user friendly. However, there are some manufacturers who are supporting Apple’s Carplay – https://www.apple.com/uk/ios/carplay/available-models/. Basically, you plug in your iPhone and you’ll see a familiar home screen display on your car screen, with large icons giving you access to many of the functions you use on your iPhone. You’ll be able to get directions, play your music, and send and receive text messages. Many of the features can be accessed through Apple’s digital assistant Siri. Make sure you research this feature carefully though, as vehicle settings such as air con etc. are unable to be accessed when Carplay is in use.
Buying a brand-new car isn’t cheap and many features you will probably have to pay for as they won’t come as standard. The best thing to do is prioritise the ones you really can’t live without and check the costs for the ones that are lower down your list. If you haven’t yet decided how you will fund buying your car, car leasing is becoming more popular as it does offer many benefits that may suit your circumstances. Visit a car leasing comparison website and find the best deals on the market today. You may be pleasantly surprised at how much more you can get for your money!