March 6, 2019 Innovative Vehicles

Shining the Spotlight on the Latest In-Car Technology

March 5, 2019

Motorists can feel safer, enjoy a more efficient drive and get from A to B in a less stressful manner thanks to the new, innovative and improved technology which are being fitted to their vehicles. We’ve teamed up with new Aston Martin dealership Grange to showcase the latest incredible pieces of in-car technology which are just working their way onto the market…

Blind spot information system (BLIS)

You can now be made aware of vehicles which are within your blind spot as you attempt to change lanes thanks to the blind spot information system (BLIS). When a vehicle enters your blind spot zone, the BLIS system will alert you. The detection area is on both sides of your vehicle, extending rearward from the exterior mirrors to approximately 10 feet (3 meters) beyond the bumper. The system alerts you via a small light on your side wing mirrors – when there is a vehicle in your blind spot zone, the light will illuminate. When your blind spot zone is clear, the light will switch off.

Intelligent speed assist (ISA)

Go above the speed limit and intelligent speed assist (ISA) technology will be on hand to warn you about this via both visual and audio warnings. By using GPS, the system is able to detect the vehicle location and reference this with a digital road map that is programmed with speed limit information for each road. The system can be used as an active speed limiter whereby it can take control of the vehicle and reduce the speed when travelling above the speed limit. It does this by reducing the throttle signal. Additionally, the system is also fitted with a speed limiting function that increases the pressure on the accelerator when you exceed the speed limit, so that it is harder to accelerate and break the speed limit.

The weather adaptation system from Jaguar Land Rover

Advanced weather adaption systems are coming to new vehicles manufactured by Jaguar Land Rover, the firm has announced. The system allows cars to autonomously adapt to weather changes and situations to make adjustments to drivetrain, suspension, traction control and climate control for optimum efficient driving.

Motorists who drive Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles on various terrains are sure to find the intelligent weather adaption systems particularly useful. The technology is said to be able to connect to present and future weather data via telematics and GPS to sensibly adapt both inside the cabin and around the exterior. One feature suggests that the system will automatically close your vehicle windows if it senses that rain is forecast. Onboard rain- and terrain-sensing mechanisms will be used to control the temperature, pressure and humidity inside the cabin, whilst interior and exterior lighting will be altered depending on the circumstances.

You can expect to start getting to grips with Jaguar Land Rover’s advanced weather adaption systems in 2020.

Lane departure warning systems

Lane departure warning systems, which are sometimes referred to as lane-keeping systems, are being used by many vehicles on our roads today. These systems keep you within your lane when driving on the motorway. When motorway driving, it’s vital that you stay firmly in your lane, unless you are overtaking. This system alerts you with a vibration on the steering wheel if your vehicle is unintentionally edging out of its lane – and in circumstances when the vehicle thinks you are reacting too slow, the vehicle will take control and provide steering torque to divert you back into the safe space on your lane. This is a safety feature to prevent drivers from veering out of their lane on motorways and dual carriageways where drivers around them are driving at high speeds.

The ECO-pedal system

When the new Nissan LEAF was released, the vehicle introduced drivers to a one-pedal driving system. The electric automobile not only has double the mileage range of its previous model equivalents, but the one-pedal driving system allows for the accelerator pedal to be transformed into a multifunctioning e-pedal at a touch. The e-pedal functions as a start, stop, accelerate and breaking pedal when activated. Suitable for 90% of urban driving, the system means that the car will slow to a halt by itself with the ability to hold itself on an incline without the need of the brake pedal.

It has also been claimed that the new system from Nissan provides motorists with more efficiency benefits when compared to previous models from the Japanese manufacturer. Nicknamed the ECO-pedal system, the pedal controls the speed of acceleration to prevent revving up the engine. The level of fuel-efficient driving is displayed through a colour and flashing Eco-P lamp. According to Nissan, studies have proven that effective eco-driving with the ECO-pedal can contribute to an improved fuel efficiency by 5-10%.

Lee Dover is a Senior Copywriter at Mediaworks who has experience writing in-depth research pieces and news articles for a wide variety of industries, including motoring, business, law and technology. He has a BA (Hons) in Magazine Journalism.

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