Cars are expensive regardless of which features they come equipped with. While some features are necessary and absolutely required like windshield wipers or side-view mirrors, there are plenty of add-on features you could probably pass on and save yourself a little (or in some cases) a lot of money.
1.Self-Parking:
What is it:
Self-parking is when a vehicle autonomously maneuvers from a traffic lane into a parking spot to perform perpendicular, angle or parallel parking. Self-parking systems are designed to enhance the parking experience while making drivers feel safer in constrained environments where attention is everything.
Why it’s not useful (yet):
We are all for cars doing things so we don’t have to. But current automatic systems are essentially useless unless you’re trying to park in a very large parking spot. Currently the average driver would be able to park any of the cars with self-parking systems better than their vehicle can, though that could change in the future.
What vehicles feature it:
Auto self-parking was introduced in the U.S. on the 2007 Lexus LS Sedan. Now auto-parking is mainly found on luxury vehicles like the Toyota Prius V option and the Ford Focus Titanium.
Bosch has plans to release a fully automated parking system later this year. We’ll see how that goes.
2.Adaptive Cruise Control
What is it:
Installed behind the grille of a car, adaptive cruise control uses forward-looking radar to find the speed and distance of a vehicle ahead. Like cruise control, ACC maintains the vehicle’s pre-set speed but the system is designed to adjust speed in order to maintain a proper distance away from vehicles driving in the same lane.
Why it’s not useful (yet):
Adaptive cruise control is really only useful in stop-and-go traffic like rush hour commutes that can go from 60 mph to a standstill. If this isn’t something you deal with on a daily bases, or mind, you don’t really need it yet. ACC is being enhanced to include collision warning capabilities that will alert drivers through visual or audio signals that a collision is about to take place and braking or steering is needed.
Also, to get full-range adaptive cruise control, expect to pay on average $2,000 to $2,500 extra.
What vehicles feature it:
Some vehicles to feature ACC include the 2014 Acura RLX, 2014 Chevy Impala and 2015 Chrysler 200c.