18 Weird Car Features
18 Weird Car Features You Didn’t Know You Might Have
Vehicles today are full of hidden features and new technologies that might be overwhelming to someone who is used to an older-style vehicle.
And while these features have been designed to make things easier and more convenient, they don’t help if you aren’t aware of them.
Here are 18 hidden car features you may not be aware of.
Road Condition Indicator
Almost every new vehicle will have a temperature sensor that will tell you the temperature outside.
These temperatures will also, in many cases, activate a road temperature warning as temperatures drop.
It usually looks like a snowflake light on your dashboard, but some newer vehicles might even use an audible warning to let you know that the roads might be icy.
Stability Control
Losing control of your vehicle when driving is one of the scariest moments you can have behind the wheel—but, thankfully, all new vehicles sold in America since 2012 have been fitted with electronic stability control.
This feature constantly monitors all four wheels. If the vehicle starts to slide out of control, it will apply the brakes to one side of the car—or even one corner—to help correct the slide.
If you don’t like this feature though, you can temporarily disable it. Look for the button marked “ESC”. It may also have a pictogram of a sliding car.
Disabling this feature may be helpful when you need to get the vehicle out of mud or snow, or if you’re towing a boat out of the water on a slippery ramp.
Heads-Up Display
This feature—which was originally designed for fighter jets—displays critical driving information right in front of the driver by projecting it as if it's floating in front of you on the road.
It typically displays speed and navigation, and some will even show the speed limit on the road you’re driving or even the current song playing.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems use a variety of tools to help make driving safer and less stressful. Some of these features use radar and laser systems that actually scan the road ahead and behind, and warn of hazards.
One of these features is known as forward collision warning, which will scan for cars ahead that are rapidly slowing. If the vehicle doesn’t sense you slowing down, it will flash a warning on the dashboard.
Some will take it a step further and actively apply the brakes for you, to help avoid a collision.
