Top Eight Cutting-Edge Car Trends
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It is 2010.... Didn't
we all think we'd have flying cars by now?
While hovercars are not likely in the near future, take a look at some
of the latest and upcoming innovations in automotive technology. Which is your favorite?
- Touch Screen Dashboards - Taking
a cue from the iPad and current trends in personal electronics, new
vehicles will start to include touch-screen interfaces in the dash for GPS
navigation, DVD, and other
functions. Hard knobs, switches and
buttons may soon become endangered.
- Bioplastics - Bioplastics contain
organic compounds like corn or soy and less petroleum, making them more
biodegradable. Although already
used sparingly, experts expect bioplastics to replace traditional plastics
in door panels and dash components in most vehicles within a few years as
they are made more durable.
- Self-Repairing,
Self-Cleaning Paint - Imagine paint that can better resist and repair
minor scratches and withstand marks from things like greasy fingers and
tree sap. Japanese automakers have already developed a topcoat made from
an elastic resin that prevents some scratches, unfortunately it only lasts
three years.
- Navigation Systems With
Real-Time Traffic Information - Soon, all cars with navigation systems will
be able to integrate real-time traffic data in order to alert drivers to
road construction issues or traffic snarls while providing alternate
routes. Similar systems are already available on handheld devices and in
some luxury cars.
- Electric Window
Tinting - This revolution in glass
is on its way. Electric window
tinting could take windows or a moonroof from clear to tinted to even opaque
with the push of a button. Maybach already offers a panoramic glass roof
that can be switched from opaque to transparent, and once the technology
becomes less expensive, we can expect to see it in more vehicles.
 - Adaptive Brake Lights - These
brake lights get brighter or larger depending on how hard the brake pedal
is depressed, telling the driver behind you how quickly you are stopping.
Mercedes-Benz has already experimented with adaptive braking on a limited
number of U.S.
models, but so far, safety regulations prohibit wide implementation.
- Automotive Black Box - Airplanes
have the ability to record trip details, so why not cars? An automotive
black box could be invaluable in an accident, to keep tabs on a new driver,
and help frequent speeders monitor their miles-per-hour, but critics claim it
could also be a big invasion of privacy.
- Lane Change Monitor - This technology
will watch your blind spots for you, letting you know when it is safe to
change lanes. In its preliminary
stages of development, it is available on a limited number of models so
far.
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Teen Drinking & Driving
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 It's almost May, which means prom season is just around the
corner. Unfortunately, many teens choose
to celebrate their big night with alcohol, putting themselves and others in
danger on the roads. Statistics show that about three in every ten Americans
will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives. Here
are some tips from Mothers Against Drunk Driving for keeping teen drivers safe
on prom night (or any night!):
Set
clear rules and consequences for underage drinking every day and making
sure to monitor your child's activities Acknowledge
that the choice to be alcohol and drug free isn't always easy If
renting a limo, parents and passengers should sign a contract allowing the
driver to phone parents if alcohol is detected Never
provide anyone alcohol if they are under the legal drinking age of 21 Keep
any liquor in the house locked up or otherwise inaccessible - Talk early and often to your children about drinking and its consequences
- Visit Why21.org to learn more about the 21 Minimum Drinking Age law and how it
saves lives. Find out how alcohol affects the teen brain, the realities
of underage drinking, common myths about and a history of the drinking
age law.
For more information on safe
driving and teen drinking, visit www.madd.org or www.thepowerofparents.org .
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