If I say that we should be thankful to modern technology for making our cars smarter, safer and more efficient, it would be a total understatement. The truth is that advancements in technology and their use in automobiles has revolutionized the entire concept that vehicles are based on. Right from security and safety features to performance enhancements and increased comfort in vehicles, modern technology has accomplished all and judging by current trends, the future looks even better. Automobile design and engineering is a realm that has come a long way during the last few decades. If you compare today’s vehicles to those belonging to the 80’s, you will notice that the main difference lies in the way improved technology has been incorporated to enhance designs and features of vehicles. The fact that vehicles are to be used just to travel from point A to point B is no longer valid. Advancements in technology have allowed us to do that in style, comfort, luxury and safety along with features that have improved the drive quality beyond words. The immense competition in the automobile market has compelled manufacturers to offer feature packed and technologically advanced vehicles to the buyer. Over the years we have seen many upgrades and newer versions of major models from almost all manufacturers and this trend is mostly due to advancements in technology. No manufacturer wants its vehicle to be termed as technologically obsolete in such a competitive sphere. Such a tight market is good for the buyer since more features are being included in modern vehicles at lower prices because manufacturers want to edge out competition and rule the roost. With such trends over the years we have noticed a sharp increase in the popularity of some technological features in cars. Among other features in vehicles, the rise of parking sensors and reverse cams has been enormous. Parking sensors started off as an added feature in high-end or luxury cars but gradually became standard fitment for most vehicles. Located mostly on rear bumpers than front ones, these small coin shaped sensors function by emitting a stream of ultrasonic waves to detect presence of objects around the vehicle. An on-board computer chip receives and interprets the data and informs the driver about obstacles in the path either through visual cues or sound alerts. Parking sensors are a blessing that can prevent you from all the toil associated with parking while making sure you always avoid obstacles when reversing or backing up. Parking sensors warn the driver about any obstacles in close proximity especially towards the rear of the car where it is usually hard to spot them. With these sensors in your vehicle, you would always know how much to back up. This is extremely important in case you drive big vehicles that usually don’t facilitate a complete rear view because of their size. Doesn’t matter what size your vehicle is, you can rely on the parking sensors to navigate even a narrow parking space or reverse your vehicle even in pitch dark and do that quite effortlessly too. Every system has its shortcomings and this one is no different. Since it relies on ultrasonic waves to judge distances between the car and the obstacles in the way, it may not be totally accurate every time. In case there are objects like narrow poles or suspended obstacles pointed at the car, occasionally these sound waves may not detect them. To avoid this danger, car manufacturers paired this feature with another one called the Reverse Camera. As the name would suggest, it is a camera located in the rear of the vehicle that allows the driver a full rear view even without turning his head around. When combined with parking sensors, it functions as the third eye for the driver. Reverse cams are small fixed cameras that work by capturing a wide-angle view of everything around the rear of the vehicle. When the camera is switched on, it displays a real time video on the small LCD screen located in the dashboard. These cameras work even in the night. When you engage the reverse gear, the reversing lights glow and the reverse cam automatically starts displaying the video on the screen. These two introductions in the unending list of automobile features has proved to be a refreshing change. These features have definitely made parking easy and reduced the effort required to reverse the vehicle. In time we may see a lot of other technological innovations find their way into the automobile world and simplify our driving while making it more comfortable and enjoyable. The possibilities are endless and the future looks bright.
-Jack Wilson