The world of motoring has come a long way in just a few decades. Features which not so long ago sat at the bleeding edge of luxury and prestige, like parking sensors, have filtered down to the lower end of the market, and are now commonplace even among second-hand vehicles.
Let’s take stock of the changes that have made this transition, and what those shopping for a used car should be looking for.
Infotainment Systems
The infotainment system provides a great deal more than a simple ‘now playing’ display. They often incorporate maps, video playback, high-fidelity graphics, and a great deal more besides. In fact, the screens are often as sharp as those of the smartphones to which the whole thing connects.
This all makes life much more convenient for drivers and front-seat passengers. With that said, there’s also a danger of distraction being generated here, which is why many of the best infotainment systems will offer features designed to limit the distraction.
Advanced safety features
Over the last few decades, road fatalities have been steadily dropping. This is a consequence of a cultural shift among drivers, who are less likely to drink, and more likely to wear a seatbelt. But other technologies, which directly reduce the likelihood of a collision, also play a role.
Adaptive cruise control, lane departure assistance, and automatic braking: they’re now widespread, even amongst used models.
Sustainability
The modern car is a great deal more efficient and less polluting than its predecessors. Even in today’s used market, hybrid and electric cars are widely available. You might pick up BMW used cars that come with battery packs and electric motors, in lieu of an internal combustion engine.
Ultimately, this means less emissions from vehicles at the point of use. This is playing an essential role in driving down air pollution in our city centres.
Driving assistance
There are certain parts of the driving experience which are on the brink of being erased for good by machine learning, sensors, and hidden cameras. New models increasingly come with parking assistance and monitoring for blind spots. In some cases, the cars can even park themselves.
If you’d like to cut out the stress and inconvenience that comes with reverse-parking a large vehicle in an unfamiliar place, then you might seek a model that comes equipped with these features. It might be that you can find just such a model on the used market.