7 Best Automotive Technologies of 2018

New car buyers would do well to spend less time looking under the hood and more examining all the technology in the car. Of course, the powertrain is still important, but the most important thing is how the driver and vehicle occupants interact with the increasingly sophisticated cars of today. That is why we have created our Best Automotive Technologies of 2018.

These are the things you should look for when you buy a new car this year. You may not find them all useful, but regardless of the price point, it should not be too hard to find a vehicle that has most of them. If you want to see the best of the best, find out what two completely new cars took home to our 2018 Best Auto Tech Awards.

1. Mobile applications connected

It is no exaggeration to say that the smartphone has changed everything, including how we interact with our cars. Most car manufacturers offer some kind of connected smartphone application, but some are better than others. Look for one that allows you to lock and unlock doors remotely, check the condition of tire pressure and fuel, and even start the car remotely to heat things on a cold winter morning.

Be sure to ask if there is a monthly or annual subscription fee for the service, as it may vary from one automaker to another.

2. Teen driver technology

Handing over the keys to your teenager can be a distressing experience, but some new smart technology could ease your mind a little. Several cars have some kind of built-in teen driver limitations that can notify you if the car is driven at a certain speed, disable the stereo if the seat belts are not worn and even prevent the stereo from rising after 7, no matter . explosion!

The Chevrolet Teen Driver feature also offers a Report Card that will inform parents if safety systems such as ABS or a frontal collision alert have been activated while Junior was behind the wheel.

3. Adaptive cruise control

Automotive Technologies of 2018:  Traveling is not fun. But advanced driver assistance systems, such as adaptive cruise control, can take a lot of stress out of the experience. By using a series of built-in sensors in the car, adaptive cruise control can match the speed of the car in front of you, which means you do not need to be constantly hitting gas and brakes in highway traffic.

Some systems even allow the car to come to a complete stop and then resume automatically, which makes the stop-and-go traffic much less frustrating. You may find it uncomfortable to give the car a certain amount of control, but we promise you: use it once, and you will never want to return.

4. LED / Xenon headlights

The headlights are the only thing between you and a crash when driving at night, so we think it is better to have better technology for the headlights. Whether it's LED bulbs that never need to be replaced or older but still excellent xenon systems, brightening the way is the best way to avoid nighttime collisions.

Many luxury cars have "rotating" bulbs that rotate with the road to illuminate corners, while automatic high beam systems prevent you from blinding other drivers but maximizing the view of your surroundings. It is worth considering a night driving test to see the headlights before making the final purchase decision.

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5. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Although they hate to admit it, many manufacturers' infotainment systems (the screens that control it in stereo, navigation, and climate control) are not very easy to use. That's why we like Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto. Connect your smartphone and take over that big screen, replacing it with something that seems much more familiar and easy to use.

You will get a simplified control scheme to access your music, maps and the built-in voice control functions of your phone, while avoiding the unnecessarily complicated system that comes with the car. Basically, all manufacturers (except Toyota / Lexus) have promised support for at least one or both Apple and Google systems, but not all levels of compensation will support them. Be sure to verify that your car has the correct options and that it matches your mobile devices.

6. USB ports

A car full of people is a car full of devices, and everyone needs to keep the battery charged. Therefore, check and see how many USB ports your car has. Almost all new cars come with one or two, but some, like the Chrysler Pacifica, which has nine (in a minivan that only has seven passengers), come with many more than that.

Calculate how many you might need and then check if they are in useful places in the car. Expect family-friendly vehicles to include a lot in the back for children, while some vehicles come with the same 110-volt power outlets you will find in your home.

7. Rear cross traffic warning

Parking lots are very common places for low-speed car accidents, but expensive. Withdrawing from a parking spot, even with a backup camera, can be a dangerous exercise. That's why traffic alert is very useful.

Thanks to the sensors built into the back of the car, the system can alert you to approaching vehicles, shopping carts or pedestrians that could wander behind your car without you noticing. The sound beeps are standard in these systems, but some cars can even brake automatically before a collision occurs.