Future Features

Every time I am asked by someone what car he (or she) should buy, there is a 50% probability that – whatever my personal choice is – the person will go with another vehicle. We can list down all the great things that make so-and-so a great buy, but sometimes it can come down to the buyer’s personal experiences and fears. Some of them might seem irrational to you but make perfect sense to the actual buyer. I just had a friend choose one SUV over another because my recommendation made do with a compact spare while he ended up going with the one with a full-size.

Yet another continually insists on buying from Brand X on the strength of its aircon supplier. Then there’s the neighbor who has vowed never to buy anything automotive from a certain country because of a bad experience with its early foray into affordable passenger cars.

However, what nearly everyone can agree on is that there are certain requirements a modern automobile must have. It has even come to a point that carmakers now address specific buyers’ preferences. There are now cars that cater to women, cars that cater to urban cowboys, cars that cater to active lifestylers, college students... Heck, there are even (concept) cars that cater to pet lovers.

Still, 99% of all production cars have much the same equipment inside as everyone else. It’s the packaging that makes the visual difference. Base models aside we now expect a car to have power windows, locks, mirrors, steering, etcetera, etcetera, yet there is still much room for improvement.

Once in a while, a manufacturer will integrate a novel feature that’s both functional and a conversation piece. Take these integrated backup cameras, for example. The Ford Expedition EL and the 4x4 CRDi version of the Tucson incorporate the little viewing screens for these in the rear-view mirror. Isn’t that so great? It follows the logic that you naturally look to the rearview mirror anyway, and at the same time it never fails to impress first-time passengers.

Then we have quality stereos. It used to be that OEM stereos were an afterthought. They were supplied by the lowest bidder, had fascias crammed with chiclet-sized buttons, and had the sound quality of a tin can. Not so anymore, at least with most model’s high-end variants. Mitsubishi’s partnership with Rockford Fosgate for their high-end Lancers and Outlanders will make the average audiophile happy, while the Bose system of the Nissan Murano Z51 will just blow you away. Believe me, I spent many happy hours stuck in traffic in that car listening to my tunes.

In the mechanical arms race, Common Rail Direct Injection diesel technology is expected, as are “manumatic” transmissions and ABS.

Ergonomics aside, I have compiled a wish list of things that I firmly believe can and should be standard equipment in cars of the near future.

Surround A/C Vents – Ever get into a hotel shower with the half-dozen nozzles for the head, back, and sides? Nice, right? Cars have an average of 4 A/C vents on the dash, and perhaps an additional 2 to 4 for backseat passengers. In last summer’s heat, these were barely enough. What’s stopping engineers from putting additional vents in the A- and B-pillars? If they can put airbags there, then I say they can also put more vents.

Photochromic windows – These would incorporate the same technology used for sport sunglasses. Depending on light conditions, your windows would turn dark for daylight, clear in the evening, and amber or light red for dawn, dusk, and overcast skies. Great for people who need to wear prescription lenses.

Heated/Cooled Cupholders – Wouldn’t it be nice to keep your latte warm over the course of a 3-hour drive? Or to have an ice-cold can of Coke on a blistering day?

Phone-integrated Heads-Up-Display – Until they make cellphone use illegal, drivers will continue to text, call, Tweet, or check their Facebook accounts while driving. Why not incorporate the same principle used by fighter pilots who have to manage so many systems while flying a plane? Some HUDs currently project speed and RPM, but who really needs that when the instrument panel is just a few inches below? Instead, the HUD should have commonly used functions like message reading, speech-to-text SMS composition, and FB status alerts. We mustn’t get cut out of the loop!

Left Foot Rear Steering – Just a crazy idea, but since automatics and dual-clutch transmissions will soon make our left legs totally useless in driving, why not incorporate an advanced “rudder- or tail rotor-like function” to steer the rear wheels? Hey, if helicopter pilots can fly their aircraft controls using all four limbs, then so can drivers. This could come in handy with u-turns, parallel parking, and switchbacks.

Defensive Siren Neutralizers – Fight fire with fire. Triggered by a proximity sensor, this powerful horn does the exact opposite frequency of the standard wang-wang, neutralizing the obnoxious sound of these offenders and effectively rendering them silent. Of course, if the technology is too difficult to mass produce, an interim feature could be like a counterbattery device. Every time a wang-wang goes off, the horn locks onto the direction of the source and fires back the most godawful “BLAPPP!”, sufficient to destroy the offending siren. May cause collateral damage, however.

Overpressure Cabin Systems – Again, inspired by military vehicles. In an M1A1 Abrams tank, the crew is protected from nuclear, biological, and chemical attack by a ventilation system that creates positive air pressure inside the vehicle to keep out toxic fumes and other bad stuff. In a passenger car, such a system would protect against human methane, food odors, and hopefully prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Static-free Carpeting – Because it is too embarrassing to step out of a car and get zapped by your own door from static electricity.

We got this heart-warming response from one of our Backseat Drivers after last week’s “Over the Moon” by James Deakin…

This is why I prefer The Philippine STAR over the other daily. Our voice can be heard. – bruks_pt

And this insightful reaction to last week’s lead story “Nissan launches supersized X-Trail CVT” by yours truly…

We should be thankful that Nissan here in the Philippines is now upgrading to the world’s most standard amenities and features, though we’re still a third world country. We’re not like like Chile, Pakistan and other poor middle east countries in which Nissan is still selling the aged models such as Terranos, Sentra and Series IIs. Fortunately, we are not like them.

If Nissan Motor Philippines sells models that are similar to those found in first world countries, other car manufacturers could follow their lead. The only risk is, they will bring in car models that typical Filipinos couldn’t afford. But someday, if the Philippines gets past the economic recession, we will get richer, and the living standard would be higher for us. Then, we’d be the only third world country has the best car models that other countries do. – JOn25

ERRATUM: We mistakenly printed “PGC Cars” instead of “PGA Cars” on last week’s Porsche Cayenne launch story head. We apologize for the oversight and vow to be more mindful of such glaring errors from here on…