Top Tech: The Top 5 Tech Features to Look for in Your Next Vehicle
Why Vehicle Tech is the New Luxury
It wasn’t that many years ago when people shopping for a new or used car were mostly focused on engines, transmissions, and amenities like moonroofs, power leather seats, multi-zone air conditioning, and HID headlights. Now, people still like all that stuff and look for it—-but there’s no question that shopping for a car has changed.
This Major World article is about trending car technology and the tech features you may just want to look for in your next used car or SUV.
New Car Prices Have Gone Up —- Buy Used to Get Most of the Tech for Less
New car prices have gone up, but so have the standard features. When was the last time you saw a new car without power windows and air conditioning?
Of course, the standard features in todays new and used cars goes way beyond that stuff. Most cars, aside from small economy cars, come with a fairly powerful engine now. Most cars come with a decent stereo system and so on.
Newer Used Cars Have The Value and the Technology You Want
Oddly enough, this also highlights the value in a relatively new used car or truck more than ever. The biggest car technology shifts happen in 8-10 year cycles. That means you can easily buy a 3-to-5-year-old vehicle, get the same tech as a new one, and save literally tens of thousands of dollars.
The 5 Vehicle Tech Features to Consider for Your Next Vehicle
1: 360-View Camera
Car cameras are old hat now—at least the reverse ones are—they’ve been required in all new cars since 2018 or so. But not all car cameras are created equal. 360-degree view cameras give you a birds-eye virtual view from the roof of your vehicle down. We have no idea what sort of magic they’re using, but this is an amazing feature for maneuvering. If you plan on getting a larger SUV, like a Cadillac Escalade, or a full-size pickup, like a Ford F-150, you’ll love a 360-camera.
2: Heads-Up Displays
This isn’t necessarily a brand-new tech. We remember seeing more basic versions in the late 80s on a few GM sedans. But today’s heads-up displays do a lot more than just reflect your speed up on the windshield in old-school green digits like an alarm clock. The new tech puts most essential info within view, and with as much tech as we have in new and used vehicles now, anything that makes it easier for you to keep your eyes on the road is welcome.
3: Blind Spot Monitoring
Another feature we’re big fans of is blind spot monitoring. This technology lets you know when another car is creeping up at your 4 or 8 o’clock position, and it has already prevented countless accidents. Especially now, when most vehicles have the window visibility of a Brinks Truck and 2-foot-wide C-pillars for crash safety, we can use all the help we can get!
We’re happy that blind spot monitoring is becoming standard on vehicles from the Infiniti QX60 to the newer Subaru Outback and many newer Hyundai models. Even if you need to pay a little extra for a higher trim level to get it, this is a safety tech feature worth having on your next used SUV or car.
4: Lane Keep Assistance
Lane Keep Assistance (LKA) is one more piece of car safety tech that helps protect you and your family by preventing accidents from happening in the first place. This technology uses front-facing cameras to track your vehicle’s position relative to the lines painted on the road and shoulder. It alerts you if the system detects that you’re drifting out of your lane (and who hasn’t done that?).
Some use a sound and a flashing light on the dash. Others even add a little vibration to the steering wheel. You may think “I don’t need that,” but we can tell you from first-hand experience lane keep assist is very useful on long drives and when you’re drowsy. Chances are you are drifting out of your lane a lot more than you realize. Some manufacturers like Honda and Toyota often bundle Lane Keep Assist with Blind Spot Monitoring systems.
5: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Last but certainly not least, we have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This automotive tech is not just for entertainment value but safety, too. It makes hands-free operations on your phone a breeze so that you can keep your hands on the wheel. The people we know who have it now would never want to be without it again.
How they work is simple. They turn your vehicle screen into an extension of your iPhone or Android, making it easy to access everything from your music streaming apps to making phone calls and texts hands-free and using navigation.
If you want to ensure you get Apple CarPlay and/or Android Auto — we can tell you this. BMW was the first to add the feature in 2017. Mini followed in 2018, and Audi was right on its heels in 2019. Since then, a lot of other manufacturers have gotten on board, but those are the three you’re most likely to find it on in a used car or SUV.
- All vehicle makes, models and years with available Apple CarPlay.
- All vehicle makes, models and years with available Android Auto.
Get the Vehicle Tech You Want for Less at Major World
Getting the latest vehicle technology doesn’t mean you need to have your bank account plundered. Why take that new car depreciation beating when you can have a beautiful, low-mileage used vehicle with all the features you want for thousands of dollars less? It’s an easy decision if you ask us (or any of our many happy Major World customers!)
Jump in and find your love match in our inventory of low-mileage used vehicles right here on our online search portal, or just come on down and get the keys to take a test drive. You can even pre-qualify yourself right now to save time, and it won’t touch your credit. Our no-BS financing process is the best in the business.
Why settle for anything less than the best inventory of pre-owned cars and SUVs in New York? You deserve the Major World standard of customer care.
Call now: (866) 614-2884.
