Did you just get your driver’s license or have been on the road for years but want to get yourself a new ride? Well, learning about cars is always a welcome idea. With the technology evolving so are the cars. If you think the height of in car-tech is having a USB port then you are in the wrong era my friend. The number of features in the modern car can be overwhelming. No worry, we got you. We have together a few essential auto features and driver hacks that might just make your driving experience even better and much safer. So, buckle up, relax and let’s get driving.

How to Know Where Your Rental’s Gas Tank Is

You have been driving the same car for years, you definitely know where the fuel filler cap is. You have decided to take a break and go for that trip to Mombasa you have been postponing. You got yourself a car rental from my hire. The car was fully fueled. But now it’s time to drop the car back. You realize you need to fill up the tank. That shouldn’t be a big deal, we wouldn’t want you embarrassing yourself to the petrol station crew. Most new cars have an indicator showing which the fuel tank is. Its right there on the fuel gauge, a small triangular arrow pointing you to the right direction!

 

Heads up display [HDU].

Don’t want to get caught by the speed police?  Having the HUD feature in your car might just solve that for you. HUD is a great new feature that utilizes the area on your windshield just above the dashboard as a separate place to display speed and road information so that you don’t need to take your eyes off the road and check your gauges. A lot of cars will make this programmable, too, so your HUD can display whatever information you want to see. You don’t have to keep taking your eyes of the road while driving.

Blind-spot sensors.

Changing lane on an expressway or a super highway can be exasperating. No matter how well you adjust your mirrors there is always a blind spot. Thank goodness today cars come with blind spot monitoring sensors. A flashing warning light will alert you incase you are about to go over something or somebody. Saving you from making an accident.

Conversation mirror.

Most minivans and crossover vehicles are built with families in mind. There is a secondary mirror just near the rear-view mirror usually held in a roof compartment. This feature helps a driver/parent have a better view of the backseat occupants. A nice way to monitor the kids without having to get off the road.

 

Back seat reminders.

We have all heard the horrifying stories of kids accidentally being left in the cars for hours. This is one of my favorite additions to the vehicles. This feature sounds a chime or flash an alert on the dashboard once the vehicle stops and puts the car in park. You can be sure you will not forget your child or groceries.

Heated steering wheel.

So, everyone has heard of heated seats but have you heard of heated steering wheel? This feature comes in handy during the cold months, when your hands are likely to become numb. It beats wearing gloves while driving. On top of the heated seats and steering wheels most cars these days have cooling features in the upholstery where you can take your car to whichever temperature makes you comfortable.

Weather condition indicators

Well, today nearly every car has temperature sensors indicating  the temperature outside.

Even though the snowflake symbol on a dashboard is fairly self-explanatory, a lot of people wouldn’t know what to do if they saw it. A snowflake icon means that the road conditions are cold and possibly icy. In order to protect yourself, reduce your speed by about five to ten miles per hour, and make sure to start braking and slowing down for corners much earlier than you normally would.

Another good tip is that if your car starts to skid, you must turn the wheel against the direction you’re skidding. And, don’t slam on the brakes because this will lock up all four tires and send you sliding with no traction at all.

Anyone wants some backseat champagne?

Don’t drink and drive! But you can always have a designated driver. The Rolls-Royce comes with a cooler, if you are privileged to ride in one you might as well pop that bottle. This is a feature we are looking forward to having in most cars soon.

 

Advanced driver assistance systems.

ADAS increase car and road safety. It uses automated technology, such as sensors and cameras to detect nearby obstacles or driver errors and respond accordingly. ADAS can enable various levels of autonomous driving depending on the features installed in the car. Here are a few examples of ADAS;

  • Adaptive cruise control.
  • Anti-lock brakes
  • Forward collision warning.
  • High bean safety system.
  • Traffic signals recognition.
  • Traction control.

Smartphone integration.

We use our phones for nearly everything we do these days. But using phones while driving can be dangerous and it is illegal is some parts of the world. Did you watch Knight Rider, remember Kitt, the smart car? Who could talk, give directions and even get Hasselhoff out of tough situations? Well, most vehicles today have this feature installed. The apple car play and android auto. With a smartphone, the big screen gives you the opportunity to place calls, set up the GPs, play music and much more.

Smart keys to the rescue.

The technology in our key FOBs over time has gotten so complex that we’re not even sure how it works. By the way, if you’re not even sure what a FOB is, it’s that little keyless entry remote you see down below. They used to just be able to lock and unlock the doors of a car if you were standing close by. Now though, they can start your car and even roll up your windows for you if you forget!

Sunroof vs moonroof.

A sunroof is a glass or metal panel that is installed in the roof of a car, it slides open or pops up to allow light and air to the interior of the car. Moonroof, a clear or tinted glass panel that slides between the roof and the headliner and is often tilted open to let fresh air in.

Storage.

Each different manufacturer has a different method of maximizing space but these adjustable back seats come in handy for most of us. One can stack their suitcases in there or even bicycles for your kids when going for that picnic.

Seat massager.

Don’t we all just wish we could live in the lap of luxury? A long trip can be tiring on the driver making that road trip more of a chore than a vacation. Some cars come with an in-built massage feature that help loosen those muscles and relax tension. Helping reduce the stress of a long drive and improving circulation at the same time.

All new vehicles have this feature.

Due to many cases of kidnapping, but we mostly see this in movies, unless it’s happening where you come from, car manufactures have come up with a trunk latch so one can open the boot from inside.

Autopilot! Coming soon to your neighborhood.

Self-driving cars are here and currently being tested. This feature enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane. Gives the vehicle driving capabilities. Current auto pilot features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous. Examples of these cars are Tesla’s.

 

I may not manage to list all the cool features that come with a car today. But hey hope this helps. For all your rental needs kindly get in touch with us.