<\/a><\/p>\n

Self-driving cars and other vehicles may be several years away, at least, but there\u2019s still plenty of technology to go around.<\/p>\n

Lane-change assist, autonomous parking, Wi-Fi hotspots, ever-more sophisticated infotainment and navigation systems, etc., all are finding their way into vehicles for 2015 and beyond.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe on-board electronics, computer systems, sensors and software in today\u2019s vehicles make the automobile one of the more technologically sophisticated pieces of equipment consumers will ever own,\u201d said a recent report from the Center for Automotive Research<\/a> (CAR). \u201cVehicles will continue to grow in complexity as energy, safety and on-board entertainment systems become more advanced.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the automakers\u2019 race to new technologies isn\u2019t without speed bumps, suggests a recent survey.<\/p>\n

\u201cMulti-function, cross-linked infotainment systems and the associated in-car electronics are a growing reliability plague for many brands,\u201d according to Consumer Reports<\/em>\u2019 annual auto reliability survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here are the new, improving or improved technologies that are getting the most attention for 2015:<\/p>\n

Driver-assist programs<\/strong> \u2013 These include lane-change assist, collision-avoidance and night-vision systems. Lane-change assist warns a driver who uses a car\u2019s turn signal when traffic is approaching from behind at high speed, while collision-avoidance warns drivers a crash is imminent or takes autonomous action.<\/p>\n

Autonomous parking<\/strong> \u2013 Using cameras and sensors, some vehicles can squeeze themselves into a parallel or perpendicular parking space while the driver uses the transmission and foot pedals.<\/p>\n

Wi-Fi hotspots<\/strong> \u2013 Several automakers, such as Audi, BMW and Chrysler, offer Internet access on some of their models, while General Motors plans to offer it on most of its 2015 vehicles.<\/p>\n

Fuel-saving technology<\/strong> \u2013 This category includes Ford\u2019s start-stop technology \u2013 which shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stopped and restarts it when the brake is released \u2013 eight and nine-speed automatic transmissions, as well as continuously variable transmissions.<\/p>\n

Smartphone integration platforms<\/strong> \u2013 Apple CarPlan and Android Auto not only connect to onboard infotainment systems but turn that system into an in-car version of the device.<\/p>\n

Infotainment systems <\/strong>\u2013 This includes links to a user\u2019s mobile phone, connections for music devices, built-in navigation, vehicle climate controls and other apps \u2013 they\u2019re \u201chot\u201d in new model cars and trucks, according to USA Today<\/em>, but not all are reliable based on the survey by Consumer Reports<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a mind-boggling array of factors to consider when buying a vehicle, but don\u2019t expect it to get easier.<\/p>\n

CAR\u2019s report compared the pace of change in automotive technology to smartphones that last two to three years and computers that are replaced after three to four years.<\/p>\n

Exhilarating, yes. But also a little scary unless you are a millennial \u2013 or an electronics engineer.<\/p>\n

See the 麻豆直播 Consumer USA blog<\/a> for more news on auto-, auto-finance and SCUSA-related topics.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Self-driving cars and other vehicles may be several years away, at least, but there\u2019s still plenty of technology to go around. Lane-change assist, autonomous parking, Wi-Fi hotspots, ever-more sophisticated infotainment and navigation systems, etc., all are finding their way into…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[267],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-car-shopping"],"yoast_head":"\n