In my hands - twenty questionnaires filled out by colleagues from various departments of the magazine "Za Rulem". The questionnaires are simple: this is a list of equipment and accessories offered as options for certain configurations on the websites official dealers different brands... The list includes more than fifty items - from cupholders and active head restraints to braking energy recovery and adaptive led headlights... Colleagues were required to mark the five most useful options with pluses and the five most useless ones with minuses. Voted anonymously.
An average car in a certain basic configuration... It already has two airbags, ABS, air conditioning, anti-theft with immobilizer, music, electric drive of all windows, adjustable steering wheel and seats, central locking, velor mats, heating rear window... In the trunk - a stowaway.
Colleagues set to work and ... I was very disappointed. I expected that such useless (from my point of view) things as parking sensors and a rain sensor would cause the greatest rejection. After all, we are all motorists with a fair amount of experience and are quite capable of independently parking a car in any conditions. And even more so turn on the wipers.
The most popular, as I naively believed, would be a full-fledged spare wheel and rubber mats. Do we live in Russia or where? Nothing of the sort happened. Colleagues definitely live in Russia - this is evident from their answers. But more than anything in the world they are afraid not of dirt with nails, but of other things: cold and death. And their favorite pastime is the transportation of long items.
THE MOST NEEDED
1st place
The championship was divided between two options. The first of them is the stability control system, often denoted by the abbreviation ESP (Electronic Stability Program; other used designations are ESC, VSC, VDC, DSTC, DSC). No doubt, its functions are very useful - it prevents the car from sliding sideways and skidding. She scored 10 pluses - that is, she was marked as highly desirable in half of the questionnaires. Quite often it is included in the standard package, and then it is not required to negotiate and pay for its installation.
The second was heated seats, also got 10 pluses. I am still in shock and cannot believe that my outwardly Nordic colleagues are so thermophilic. Surprisingly, the ability to warm up is much less in demand. windshield (3 pluses) or put your hands on a warm steering wheel (2 pluses). By the way, in most cars this function has already become standard, even in the basic configuration, although it is also found as an option.
2nd place
Additional airbags, heated side mirrors and folding rear seats scored nine positive points each.
3rd place
The group of pronounced leaders is closed by the rear and front parking sensors (or similar systems under other names). He scored 8 points. And the full-size spare wheel, for which I was so sick, only scored six. One of them is mine.
THE MOST UNNECESSARY
1st place
Chrome nozzle on exhaust pipe... Unbeatable result - 13 out of 20 possible minuses.
2nd place
Rear spoiler. He was given 10 minuses, without even understanding what the dealers mean by the name "rear spoiler".
3rd place
Passenger seat occupied sensor. Its purpose is to provide a nasty buzzer that will remind you that your passenger is not wearing a seat belt. It is difficult to imagine a driver who would find this sensor useful. Nevertheless, some dealers are of the opinion that such an option can be sold. Do they really take?
In general, there were many more minuses than pluses. This is understandable: someone has to pay for all the toys. Guess who? Steering effort adjustment system (proposed, in particular, hyundai brand called Flex steer) raises no questions. Its task is to facilitate the work of the steering wheel when difficult maneuvers at low speeds. Well, where else to make it easier - on most cars, the steering wheel can be turned with one finger. The same number of minuses - six - were put to the automatic parking system. In fact, the logic of our colleagues is understandable - if we have already chosen parking sensors, then the automatic valet seems to be useless. One excludes the other.
Cooling follows with five minuses glove box (well, yes, this is an additional source of cold!) and an automatic door closer. Note, however, that they do not fall under the definition of "completely useless" and they, of course, are far from the chrome-plated pipe nozzle, which simply creates an external shine.
GOOD AND BAD
There are no leaders or winners in this standings, but those who received both pluses and minuses are collected. The most mysterious section of my research. It got, for example, cruise control (three pluses and one minus) and rubber mats with the same result. As well as a blind spot monitoring system and headlight washers. And, of course, seats with ventilation and massage functions (one plus and three minuses). In general, these things are objectively useful, but there are drivers who believe that it is much better without them. Why they think so is a separate question. In some cases, apparently, they do not want to pay extra.
THE MOST UNNOTED
Among the options, there were those that did not receive a single minus or plus. They can be classified as indifferent, but this is not a very correct approach. I was just greedy and allowed to put only five pluses and minuses, otherwise all participants in the competition would most likely receive some marks.
Nevertheless, for the sake of completeness, let's name those who were not told either yes or no. In the field of electronic assistants, this adaptive headlights, an assistance system at the start of an uphill and a preventive braking system that can stop the car itself, without the participation of a gaping driver. In the field of interior, comfort and practicality: leather steering wheel, electrically adjustable seats, cup holders, roof rails. And, oddly enough, an automatic folding mirror system.
I will also add that the “start-stop” system (one minus), locking bolts (one minus) and leather seats (one minus) did not cause a bright reaction from colleagues.
It remains to make a final conclusion. My colleagues are quite sane people who know how to distinguish between good and evil. But still they have some metropolitan effeminacy. Therefore, they are not interested in sunscreen tinting and a roof with a panoramic view with a sliding sunroof: it's even colder with them!
Modern cars are crammed with a lot of options. From the vast array of expensive electronics to the smallest details like the pop-up cup next to the steering column. Not all innovations and "bells and whistles" are really necessary for the driver. Too many of them increase the cost of the car and sometimes complicate its management. Of course, without many things it is simply difficult to imagine a modern car, for example, without air conditioning and ABS. But sometimes you have to give money for what you actually use later, or rarely, or never at all. Based on the survey of car owners, I made a list of car unnecessary things.
1. Ashtray and cigarette lighter. Oddly enough, but in the first place of unnecessary things in the car - an ashtray and a cigarette lighter. So it turned out that most of the drivers interviewed turned out to be non-smokers, and they really don't need these two things in the car. “For me personally, a completely useless piece of furniture is an ashtray. I would be happy if she weren't there, ”says a non-smoking female driver. However, the ashtray in the car is not needed even for some smoking car owners. They do not smoke in their own car and do not allow other passengers to do so.
However, some inventive drivers did find practical use and for an ashtray not used for its intended purpose. In their opinion, it is good to put small debris in an ashtray; a pair of fuses (just in case), a pair of self-tapping screws (in another case) and all kinds of nuts and bolts falling off from some cars right during the movement or in parking lots are perfectly placed.
2. Shelf for coins.What, really, is the use of a small compartment for coins no larger than a ruble? Manufacturers created it so that the driver did not have to look for change in his pockets when paying for a toll road. For Russia, toll roads will not become relevant soon. But even on European toll roads, this device for coins turns out to be useless. “Maybe, of course, I was unlucky, but where we drove along toll roads, the amounts were higher than what could be put into this compartment for coins, a two-euro coin, for example, does not fit here, and many have long been paying for travel with a card, ”says one of the drivers. As a result, the coin box is only used as a dust collector, and nothing can be done about it. Not even a bit of practicality is found. The coin shelf can also become a reminder that soon in Russia you will have to pay for travel on some highways, the government, by the way, has already developed similar projects.
3. Headlight washers They do not wash well, often work when you do not ask for them and, among other things, consume a lot of washing water, car owners complain. “I have them without brushes and when they are turned on, water is simply sprayed on the headlights, and then you have to get out of the car and wipe the wet headlights with a cloth. You can just as well use special wet wipes, ”one of the drivers shares the senselessness of this option. If dirt is stuck to the headlights, then nothing is washed anyway, only the neighbors are watered and a washer is wasted in gallons, another complains.
4. Fog lightsare also used by drivers extremely rarely and are most often installed just in order to be. True, sometimes they can still be useful. For example, when driving in snowy or rainy weather, when using high beam blinds the driver. By enabling the option, the light will go lower and will dazzle the driver less. However on russian roads fog lights often beat, as they are located too low, - complains one of the drivers. In general, many of the drivers did not appreciate this option.
5. Rain and light sensor.The rain sensor is designed to create comfort for the driver on the road when it rains or snows or a passing car splashed with wet mud. However, it does not always work, interviewed drivers complain. For example, a fine rain with large drops has started, the car is flooded, but the sensor does not react in any way, - the car owner complains. Easier and easier to regulate the cleaning system yourself windscreen. Light sensorshould automatically include external lighting in the dark or dark places. “I always drive with low beam, so this option is absolutely unnecessary,” says another driver. This function may be useful only for those who constantly drive through tunnels or covered parking lots, but the interviewed drivers are not among them.
6. Crankcase protection.It turns out that the crankcase protection is sometimes completely useless, but worth a lot of money, a piece. “You have to try very hard to get to this protection, but with a strong blow, it may not help. In addition, the crankcase significantly reduces safety performance, ”says Dmitry Makarov from Auto-Dealer.ru.
7. Cruise control.A seemingly useful thing in theory is a cruise control, it can even seriously save gas. But in practice, many do not use this function. “If you use it, you can actually fall asleep while driving,” explains one driver. “The movement is such, both in Moscow and outside the city, that you drive all the time in the gas-brake mode. What kind of cruise control is there, ”another echoes him. The convenience of using cruise control on our roads is quite relative. True, there are times when you may still need this feature - if you are traveling long distances. “I never understood why I needed cruise control until I drove to Anapa, rubbed a callus on the heel of my right foot along the way and began to regret that I did not have this option,” one of the drivers sneers.
8. Carpets and velor rugs.Most of the car owners surveyed believe that buying carpet or velor carpets in a car is a waste of money. All the same, you will only ride with rubber ones - the accumulated dust and dirt are best washed off from them. One of the drivers interviewed bought, for example, two sets of rugs: for the winter - carpet, and for the summer - rubber. But in the end, carpets gather dust at home.
9. Mountain descent assistance button.Perhaps this option is relevant for the high mountain regions of Russia, but clearly not for Moscow and its environs.
10. Automatically adjustable seats.In fact, the driver needs to set up his own seat once, which is easier to do without automation. Many car owners do not understand why they need this option.
11. Automatically closing doors when the engine is running.Maybe for some, this is an important option that protects the slow driver from the ubiquitous thieves. But most of the drivers interviewed believe that it does not make any weather, and they would easily do without it.
12. Front parking sensors. Are there really such drivers who do not feel the dimensions of their car even from the front? Most don't need this option at all.
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Is a car not a luxury but a means of transportation? Forget the classics: luxury, and what a luxury! And do you know who is to blame for this? Option. Something that you can do without, but for some reason you do not want to do without. Every year, a couple of new options pop up in the car market. Car dealerships are vying with each other to offer any options for additional equipment - just pay. The tasks of the manufacturer and the seller are clear - to entice buyers from competitors, to sell the car at a higher price. And since "buying", "acquiring" has become the religion of our time - the product needs a shiny wrapper with bows. And how can a buyer figure out, which option cannot be lived without, and which one is not needed for nothing?
Natural selection
Motoring magazines love ratings like the Top Ten Most Important Options. But whatever they reveal, the best indicator of usefulness and worthlessness is time. For instance, anti-lock braking system aBS brakes (gives the car stability at emergency braking on slippery road). Just yesterday ABS was considered optional. And today it is the factory standard ... No, if you wish, you can search and buy a car without ABS. This will significantly reduce the price, but it will increase the risks of the driver behind the wheel. On the ugly Russian roads, and even in a damp climate, ABS is a very valuable thing.
Automatic transmission also once appeared as an option. And today it is included in the list of mandatory equipment, and also thanks to "natural selection". On city roads, especially in metropolitan areas with chronic traffic jams, the advantages of the "automatic" are obvious: you do not need to constantly press the clutch pedal, change gears. Attention is freed up and - which is essential, especially for women - physical activity is minimized ... Another thing is that the "automatic" is not to everyone's liking. Not even because he adds a thousand or two euros to the price of the car. Those who like to leave the traffic light first prefer mechanical box... "Mechanics" are also loved for their greater efficiency: with it less.
Frontal airbags also long ago became a factory standard among decent manufacturers. But side cushions go through the category of options - more often in business class cars. But it is they, as the statistics of road accidents show, that reduce the number of deaths in side impacts by a third.
Very helpful
The air conditioner, which has also long since grown from an option to a standard, has been replaced by climate control. You set the desired temperature on the computer monitor and enjoy the fact that the given degrees are maintained "by themselves". Old air conditioners could freeze anyone: they had to constantly turn on and off so as not to catch a cold completely.
However the option climate control considered useful but not necessary. Arguments? It costs more than an air conditioner. And then, the hand will not fall off turn it on and off, turn it on and off. But this excuse is not for those who have to drive in hot city traffic jams.
Rear View Camera? There will be no excess - and parked in reverse will make it easier, and will not let a gape cat run over. True, this is not a cheap business. On the other hand, parking sensors - a device that generates audio signals during the same parking "backwards" - is an option much more accessible and useful.
To everyone according to his needs
The most useless in a car is most often called an ashtray by drivers. Because even smokers try not to smoke in the cabin. And those who smoke while driving, often shake off the ashes and throw the cigarette butt out the window ... But there are also civilized smokers with good manners: they need an ashtray!
The main thing when choosing options is to build on individual needs. For example, do you need cruise control? It seems convenient - you set the desired speed, the car itself supports it. Take your feet off the pedals, relax. That is what foreigners do with pleasure on their native seven-lane autobahns. But what is good for a German is death for a Russian: our roads are full of surprises. My friend only once used the cruise control, which he got in the factory configuration: “Well, I don’t like that my legs are free - I sit like a fool!”. And that's right, a smart driver must always keep his foot on the pedal and be prepared for force majeure.
In city traffic jams, cruise control is completely meaningless. Is it a useless thing? No, it's just - a special function, necessary, however, rarely for anyone. What if you are just one of these rare people? What if you like to ride your wheels to the Black Sea or travel around Europe?
But automatic headlight washers can be safely called a useless option, at least for Russia. On our roads, wash the headlights, do not wash ... And then, in very coldy this option does not guarantee perfect operation n
Selected things of the Moscow Motor Show
Among the main premieres of the past auto show - new Audi TT, the equipment of which, even in the most affordable version, cannot be called poor. On the list additional equipment - adaptive headlights, mp3 player, iPod adapter, many accessories, from 19 '' rims to a sports "body kit". Prices for a new product: from $ 57 thousand for a two-liter version to $ 72.3 thousand for a car with a 3.2 engine and an S-tronic gearbox.
Angularly chopped crossover Mercedes GLK in the basic configuration has climate control, 7-speed automatic, bi-xenon, seven airbags, system Pre Safe (in case of danger, pulls the belts tighter and closes the windows and hatch). Additionally, an off-road package with unpainted plastic bumper parts is offered, additional protection, and a sports package - with decorative elements of the interior and wheel rims larger diameter.
The Infiniti EX35 crossover has unique system all-round view (AVM), which uses four cameras to provide the driver with a full-scale picture of the space around the vehicle. The basic configuration includes a 5-speed automatic, chip key, color monitor, Bose audio system with 11 speakers and subwoofers. Climate control with automatic mode air recirculation and the Plasma Cluster system, which ionizes the air.
The Gorky Automobile Plant presented the Volga Siber model, which is already being produced. In the basic configuration - ABS, traction control, two airbags, air conditioning, power adjustment of the driver's seat in 6 directions, electric windows and side mirrors, an audio system with 6 speakers, power steering, steering wheel adjustment, 15-inch wheels (albeit steel). And in the Lux configuration, there are alloy wheels, fog lights, leather interior, electric driver's seat in 10 directions, heated seats.
What's in fashion?
Headlights that change the direction of the beam when the car is turning. When the trajectory changes, they turn at a certain angle so as to illuminate the part of the road where the driver is going to turn. So far, this option is offered only for the most expensive brands.
Xenon headlights are another popular option. Every fifth car is equipped with it today. However, on lit city highways, it doesn't matter xenon headlights or ordinary. It is rather a local sign of "coolness".
Leather seats are still a trendy option, but not new. Marketers continue to rank it among the top three.
Expert preferences
Yuri Ivanov - Head of the Automotive Expertise Department of the Center for Independent Consumer Expertise Foundation, a driver with 30 years of experience:
"At the forefront, I put a complete set that ensures road safety - ABS, four-wheel drive all wheels, front airbags. If we are talking about a car for a megalopolis, I cannot imagine it without an automatic box. Air conditioning or climate control? Of course, with our summer traffic jams. Folding mirrors? They will not be superfluous. Heated seats, mirrors and glass? Where could it be without them in the cold! And also - parking sensors. He always helps me when parking.
The rest of the options are for everybody, but even in standard configuration any of them only adds value to the car. "
More "bells and whistles" - more gasoline?
A working air conditioner or climate control increases gas mileage up to 2 liters per 100 kilometers.
An automatic transmission is also a big "glutton" in comparison with the "mechanics" - it consumes 5-15% more fuel.
A noticeable gasoline "ration" is required by a power steering and a refrigerator.
Heated seats, glass, mirrors, power windows, radios, and automatic headlight washers, on the other hand, do not greatly affect fuel consumption.
10. Illumination of car sills
This is for entertainment purposes only, so that the owner can emphasize the status of his car in front of others. As a rule, this option is quite expensive. Does it make sense to shell out a decent amount for such a dubious pleasure of glowing car thresholds using LEDs? After all, as a rule, thresholds quickly get dirty with dirt from boots.
9. Voice recognition system
This feature would be a valuable companion to any motorist if it worked perfectly. At the moment, there is no car in the world that is equipped with perfect voice recognition. All voice control systems in cars perform poorly and are more likely to annoy drivers. Therefore, if, when buying a new car, a car with voice control is imposed on you in a car dealership, abandon it, because you will simply throw money away for this option, since you will not be able to use it without irritation.
8. Control lamp on the Eco-mode dashboard
On many modern cars there is a fuel economy mode (Eco), when turned on, which informs the driver about the activation of the car's economy mode. Typically, this feature with a check icon on dashboard, informs the driver by blinking to change the driving style to reduce fuel consumption. For example, if, when the economy mode is on, you sharply press the gas pedal or brake sharply, control lamp starts flashing, warning the driver that with this driving style vehicle maximum savings are not achieved.
This is very annoying and distracting. Actually signal lamp practically does not help the driver to achieve maximum efficiency, since the warning of the fuel saving system is triggered after the fact. Therefore, the frequent flashing of the warning light is only distracting, since all drivers are subconsciously used to the fact that any flashing light on the dashboard is a warning of a breakdown or error in the electronics. As many drivers on the net write, it is impossible to get used to this icon on the dashboard. ...
It is much more efficient to control your fuel consumption using the average gasoline consumption or diesel fuelwhich can be seen on modern cars. Once outside the required parameters, you just need to change the driving style in order to achieve significant fuel savings.
7. Dynamic steering
It's time for automakers to realize that most drivers don't want to steering was "artificial" that works with electronics and an electric amplifier. Most of us (especially fans of a sporty driving style) do not want to gear ratios steering systems were constantly changing in the control system. Isn't it easier to do one normal and optimized setting?
6. Paddles of the variator gear shift
Initially paddle shifters (levers) automatic box gears were intended for faster and more convenient gear shifting (for example, it helps a lot in sport mode). But why put such functions in cars that are equipped with a continuously variable variator, which by its nature cannot provide the driver with the true?
5. Stop / start button and transmission button
Why reinvent a wheel that has long proven itself to be reliable? Many automakers have started to equip their cars in recent years. But time does not stand still. Some manufacturers have gone even further and began to equip cars with a gear shift button, which is less convenient than the classic transmission knob. Also, on many new cars, the traditional stop-start button has become touch-sensitive, which causes a lot of inconvenience to owners.
4. Lane control warning system
If you think you need this feature in your car when you are walking on the highway, then most likely you should not be driving on the highway, since you are probably not yet ready to drive on the highway.
3. Technology of night vision in the car
Night vision technology in a car is a very serious and necessary concept. But all modern solutions and technology is useless. If an image from a night vision device was projected onto the windshield using Hud technology, then it would be amazing. But, unfortunately, in some expensive carsin mobiles, the street image is transmitted by night vision only to the screen on the center console. It is very uncomfortable to look at him while driving. In addition, it is very strong and affects security.
2. Integration of social media with the car
Not. Not. And again no. You should not, while driving, use social networks, send a message to Twitter, Facebook, Vkontakte. If you think that this is absolutely necessary in the car, then it is better to never get behind the wheel.
1. Navigation / Infotainment systems
Why spend your hard-earned money on the purchase of navigators as options, when there is a much simpler solution - your smartphone, the cost of many of which at the moment is simply ridiculous compared to expensive navigation equipment.
Nowadays, the smartphone can completely replace the navigation in the car. We also really hope that the new infotainment systems and Android Auto will contribute to the integration of smartphones with the car. Recall that in the near future, these systems will begin to appear on many new cars.
The purists can tell us that half of these options can be dispensed with. Leftist - that we (following the accursed capitalists) got drunk. But we believe that after trying each in real life, it will be very difficult to refuse them.
Heated and ventilated seats
When and on what it was implemented: 1965 - heated, Cadillac Eldorado; 1998 - ventilation, Saab 9-5.
How much is it worth today: included in the complete set (heating); 31,280 rubles, Audi Q7 (ventilation).
It would seem that it is indeed overkill. Even in the conditions of the Russian winter, we do not immediately get into the car and drive: while the engine is warming up (5-10 minutes), we clear the car of snow, wait for the windshield wipers to “freeze”. During this time, warm air will begin to flow into the interior, and the seat upholstery will not seem icy. But what a thrill it is to sit after all these "dances with a tambourine" in the cold not in a seat that was frozen during the night, but in a warm chair!
The ventilation of the seats is absolutely irreplaceable. The air conditioner will not save you from a sweating back in the heat, especially if the upholstery is leather. And how to go, say, to a business meeting if there is a huge wet spot on your back? Cool air currents from the interior of the chair make you feel worthy in any weather.
Automatic switching from low beam to high beam
When and on what it was implemented: 2009, Mercedes-Benz E-class.
How much is it worth today: 39,000 rubles, Opel Insignia.
Automakers began experimenting with this system back in the middle of the last century. In 1952 at cadillac cars and Oldsmobile installed light sensors that could send a signal to turn on the high beam at night. However, the system did not become widespread, because it was not possible to teach the headlights not to blind oncoming drivers.
Technology made it possible to do this only by the end of the 2000s. Initially, when the headlights were xenon, a complex curtain system was used. After the head light was assigned to LEDs, the system became easier to implement. If necessary, these or those diodes are muffled or extinguished, forming a spot of light of a complex shape with clear boundaries.
However, such a system is still unable to replace a skilled driver. Light sensors do not know how to "see" the reflections of a car approaching due to a sharp turn or hill and turn on the neighbor in advance.
Keyless access to salon
When and on what it was implemented: 1998, Mercedes-Benz S-class W220.
How much is it worth today: 15 820 rubles, Volkswagen Golf.
You go to your car in the parking lot and ... And that's it, no unnecessary gestures: no need to get the keys out of your pocket, press the button on the key fob - you just pulled the handle and the car let you in. Then he pressed the button and started the engine. Conveniently? Not that word! Having traveled a little by car with such a system, you run the risk of forgetting how to unlock the car the old fashioned way.
The Keyless Entry system is not that many years old: it was developed by Siemens specialists in the 90s and sold for Daimler... These days, keyless entry to the salon is more and more common on golf-class models. True, only in top-end configurations.
Memory of position of seats and steering wheel
When and on what it was implemented:1957, Cadillac Eldorado Bordings.
How much is it worth today: 18,300 rubles, Jaguar XJ.
Stopped the engine - and the seat moves back, and wheel lifts up, making it easier for the driver to get off and get into the car. It is worth inserting the key into the lock - the chair and steering wheel take their original position. Moreover, this entire economy has a memory for several sets of adjustments. Very comfortably! Especially if people of different heights and builds drive the car alternately.
Lexus made such a system widely available, offering it on LS models in the late 90s as an option, and then including it as standard equipment. Why "massively available"? Because the Lexus LS400 in 1989 cost $ 35,000 in the US and sold more than 40,000 copies a year across America!
Navigation system
When and on what it was implemented: 1986 Toyota Soarer GT-Limited.
How much is it worth today: 10,000 rubles, Renault Logan.
The advantages of this system, I think, do not even need to be justified. As practice shows, even taxi drivers, being "armed" with a navigator, get from point A to point B in a large city faster than relying solely on their knowledge and experience.
True, only quite recently did staff navigators learn to “be friends” with the Internet in order to plan a route taking into account traffic jams. Alas, such advanced systems are very expensive, so most motorists prefer to download the navigation program to their smartphone and hang it on the glass.
Blind Spot Monitoring
When and on what it was implemented: 2005, Volvo S80.
How much is it worth today: 22,000 rubles, Opel Astra.
As practice shows, in the "blind" zone, covered by the rear pillar of the body and not visible either through the salon or through the side mirrors, a rather big crossover can easily hide! That is why systems were invented that “monitor” this and other “blind” zones: if the driver turns on the turn signal, intending to rebuild, and another car is in the next lane in dangerous proximity, the automatics gives an alarm signal.
Tailgate sensing system
When and on what it was implemented: 2010, Volkswagen Passat.
How much is it worth today: included in the package.
You walk up to the car in the supermarket parking lot, both hands are busy with bags. What to do and where to attach them to open the trunk? Put it next to the car? And what if spring is in the yard and there is snow-water porridge under your feet? Engineers, imagine, found a way out: you hold your foot under rear bumperand the boot lid opens automatically.
For primacy in creating such a system, two companies are now arguing: Volkswagen and Ford. The first, it seemed, were Volkswagen, but Ford thought of making sure that the trunk with the help of a "kick" would not only open, but also close. And on this basis they call themselves pioneers ...
Head-up display
When and on what it was implemented: 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
How much is it worth today:included in the package.
The widespread introduction of such a system is not so much a matter of comfort as of traffic safety. Because it projects instrument readings and other relevant information directly onto the windshield or a special transparent display right in front of the driver's eyes. The latter does not need to look away from the road!
The first head-up displays appeared on combat aircraft before World War II, and it wasn't until the end of the century that the technology reached the automotive industry. Debuting at Oldsmobile, the novelty did not gain wide popularity, but after appearing on Chevrolet corvette 10 years later, it was noticed and quickly adopted by almost all premium brands. Now the head-up display can even be found on the Citroen DS5.
Surround view system
When and on what it was implemented: 2007, Nissan Elgrand.
How much is it worth today: 45,100 rubles, Range Rover.
Rear-view cameras and "parking sensors" are good for everyone: in fact, the driver literally has eyes on the back of his head! In a tight parking lot, you can control the approach to neighboring cars with an accuracy of a few centimeters. But the surround view system is even better: the driver sees on the screen in the cabin not just a picture from the camera, but as if looking at his car from top to bottom.
The pioneer in the implementation of such a system was nissan, then the idea was picked up, in particular, by Mercedes, BMW, Land rover, Toyota and Volkswagen. All-round visibility systems are mainly used on business-class cars and above, but in the early 2010s Nissan made a knight's move again in the early 2010s, offering "all-round visibility" as an option for compact crossover Qashqai.
Door closers
When and on what it was implemented: 1991, Mercedes-Benz S-class W140.
How much it costs today: included in the package.
You don't have to slam the doors, you don't have to think whether your wife or children will be able to shut them the first time: you just push the door (or pull it slightly when you sit down), and the automation does the rest for you. More precisely, hydraulics.
Today, door closers are on expensive cars, as they say, by default, but the mass distribution of such an option is still far away. However, with a strong desire, closers can be installed on inexpensive modelthey are sold separately as accessories.
