The Top Ten Gadgets You Might Find In Your New Car

Over recent years, motor manufacturers have developed a wide range of innovative gadgets to help you enjoy driving and to keep safe behind the wheel. From advanced safety features to driver aids, technology in cars is as advanced as it has ever been.

Here, we look at ten of the top gadgets you might benefit from in your new car. Keep reading to find out more.

If you buy a new Ford then you may well benefit from door-edge protectors. These clever gadgets extend when your car door is opened to protect it from scratches.

The door edge protector retracts in just 60 milliseconds to allow for your door being slammed shut. A special rubber compound is used that can withstand thousands of usage cycles and creates a minimum of noise as it springs into position.

“The small scuffs and scratches that result from car doors being opened into obstacles, or from having a car door opened into your own vehicle, can be frustrating for car owners,” said Matthew Avery, crash and safety research manager at Thatcham, the UK Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre.

“Ford’s Door Edge Protector is an excellent innovation for preventing these annoying dents and scratches. Any system that can reduce the risk of damage to your own or someone else’s vehicle is worthy of recognition, but one that operates so effectively without affecting the looks or performance is particularly noteworthy.”

If you want cold drinks on hand then you should consider an in-car fridge or thermo-electrical cool box.

These CFC-free coolers are lightweight and easy to carry and are big enough to accommodate 1.5 litre bottles when standing. Never go without a cold drink again!

Heated seats are available across a wide range of Sandicliffe makes and models. From the Nissan Micra up to the Ford S-Max many models now offer heated front seats.

Heated seats offer cool weather comfort by warming your seat quickly, before the air in the passenger compartment is fully warmed by the heater. They make both you and your passenger more comfortable during cold weather.

More and more cars are being manufactured with LED lights. These lights provide outstanding visibility to other road users whilst consuming very low amounts of energy.

They are particularly useful for ‘daytime running lights’. As well as a stylish and sporty look, daytime running lights also help to improve safety, which is why the European Commission has decided to introduce daytime running lights on all vehicles. These LED lights automatically switch on when the engine is started and switch off or dim when the main beam is turned on.

As well as being energy efficient, LED lights also help to give a car a distinctive appearance. “The LED position is at the side or pointing back into the reflector, and not forward facing. You can control the beam better, and create more interesting reflector shapes. It depends on styling,” said Steffen Pietzonka, v-p of car lighting maker Hella.

One of the latest gadgets to be introduced in some new cars – most commonly in the new Nissan Leaf – is a remote climate control function.

Now you don’t have to be in your car to change the heating or air-conditioning. Using your smartphone or computer, you can remotely activate your car’s climate control. You can adjust the heating or air-con using an app and your car will be ready when you are.

There is little more frustrating than sitting in icy and snowy weather waiting to leave the house because you can’t clear your windscreen. So, it can pay to choose a car with a heated front windscreen.

For example, Ford models feature patented ‘Quickclear’ windscreen technology. These heated windscreens have a mesh of very thin heating wires embedded between the two layers of windscreen glass to quickly de-ice and de-fog the glass, clearing your windscreen fast.

Cruise control has been available on many models for years and is designed to maintain your car’s pre-set speed.

Now, it is possible to choose adaptive cruise control. This technology uses a forward looking radar, installed behind the grill of your car, to detect the distance and speed of the car in front of you. It then automatically adjusts your car\'s speed to maintain a safe following distance.

If the vehicle in front of you slows down, or if another object is detected, the system sends a signal to the engine or braking system to decelerate. Then, when the road is clear, the system will re-accelerate the vehicle back to the set speed.

However much you pay attention to the road, there may be times when it is difficult to be aware of other vehicles travelling in what is commonly called your ‘blind spot’.

A blind spot warning notifier helps you to drive safely by detecting and warning you of the presence of other vehicles in the blind spot area. The system recognizes when another vehicle is travelling diagonally behind you and signals the presence of the vehicle using a flashing indicator and an audible signal.

Many manufacturers have developed new technology designed to keep you safe behind the wheel. This technology comes in various forms. It includes:

Lane departure warning – This technology makes sure you don’t drift out of your lane on long, tiring journeys
Moving object detection – This automatically detects objects around you to help you manoeuvre safely
Forward emergency braking – Here, you get a warning when you are too close to a vehicle in front of you
Active park assist – This uses sensors to measure the distance between cars and help you to park safely in tight spaces
Active city stop - This is designed to detect objects in front of the car and calculate the braking force required to avoid a collision. The system automatically reduces throttle input and applies the car’s brakes if it thinks a crash is imminent

Many new models now feature advanced in-car connectivity systems.

For example, Ford’s SYNC technology offers voice activated phone and audio controls meaning you can keep your eyes on the road. And, NissanConnect gives you hand-free communication, lets you plug your entire music collection in wirelessly through Bluetooth and even lets you follow your Facebook or Twitter news feed.

Ford SYNC also offers Emergency Assistance. Here, if you connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth, the system will automatically contact the emergency services if you’re involved in a crash where the airbags are deployed.