The 10 Best And 10 Worst Automotive Technologies
The 10 Best And 10 Worst Automotive TechnologiesAutomotive technology has evolved significantly over the past decade. While there were plenty of mechanical improvements, such as the use of aluminum and high-tensile-strength steel, better suspension layouts, and sustainability-oriented manufacturing changes, the most eye-grabbing features rely heavily on electronics technology. This goes beyond knick-knacks in the center stack. We're talking about fundamental alterations to the powertrain, suspension, safety subsystem, and even steering. No matter how mechanical the automotive space remains, technology is what determines how you and your next vehicle interact with each other.
We've been covering the tech in cars, trucks, and SUVs for a couple of years now, driving everything from entry-level sedans to brutally-fast sports cars. At this point, I'm pretty familiar with each vendor's approach to technology, inside and out. A lot of companies already embrace next-gen features and successfully deploy them in ways that complement their products. Some still don't "get it", complicating simple tasks.
So follow along as we highlight the ten best and ten worst automotive technologies encountered since we began our coverage.
At least BMW disables it automatically when the car is in Sport mode. The Jaguar you have to disable every time. But yes I agree its obnoxious unless its completely transparent, which most of the time it isn't. Seems harsh most of the time which is not something I'd tolerate in a luxury vehicle.
We've yet to spend seat time in a Tesla. The times I've seen them, I wouldn't say its the best. The interior just overwhelms you with touch screen LCDs, and overwhelming you doesn't make it the best. The drivetrain is impressive though.
The big problem is the smoothness. Even when they try to mask it, you can still feel a shudder. The level of refinement on start/stop isn't good enough for a luxury vehicle. For a Ford Fiesta? Sure, but a $40k+ luxury / sports sedan? Not so much.
I know Toyota and Ford use a Microsoft based solution so those probably would, but I don't think it matters too much because if you are buying a Chevy Sonic, you probably don't have the cash to buy their half assed nav system.
Actually my sister's Ford Fiesta supports WAV. Also the Tesla Model S supports FLAC up to 48KHz 24bit or 96KHz 16bit.
I keep a folder of FLAC music on my flash drive for car testing hoping that one day a car will work with FLAC. So far it has not happened yet
Actually my sister's Ford Fiesta supports WAV. Also the Tesla Model S supports FLAC up to 48KHz 24bit or 96KHz 16bit.
Yep. FLACK support.... for the low price of $89,000!
Actually my sister's Ford Fiesta supports WAV. Also the Tesla Model S supports FLAC up to 48KHz 24bit or 96KHz 16bit.
Yep. FLACK support.... for the low price of $89,000!
Don't forget you have to sign your life over and let them monitor your usage too.