A car is a thing that almost everyone needs. For most people, a car is a way of moving around the city, but many also use it for traveling.
The degree of comfort and safety during a trip is of great importance, and this is achieved by useful modern automotive options. However, not every car is ready to provide them. Even if you decide to have a road trip in the USA, it’s recommended that you choose vehicle brand and model carefully. And you can easily do that with Rental24H.com!
The main condition is that your rental car contains options that provide you with convenience and peace of mind on the road. For more road trip tips, click here. Here’re some of the most useful optional extras…
1. Navigation system
It’s hard to imagine a modern car without this electronic assistant. Whatever the purpose of the trip and the distance, a good and high-quality navigator will indicate the destination, create the most optimal route and warn about traffic jams and accidents.
This is a kind of expert adviser, providing the driver with comprehensive information for deciding on the choice of route. Its application on any terrain and any distance greatly simplifies the task for the driver saving time and nerves. The operation of the navigator is based on the receipt of relevant information from the satellite and its transmission to the on-board computer display.
2. Electronic Stability Program
The Electronic Stability Program, also known as the ESP, is designed to prevent the vehicle from sliding laterally during maneuvers and turns. It works based on continuous monitoring of data from speed sensors, steering wheel turns, deviation angles and other vehicle parameters.
As a result, the on-board computer makes a conclusion about the process of movement, and if it sees a potential danger, then it intervenes and corrects the situation.
For example, if there’s a big difference between the steering angle and the degree of deviation of the car, then it’s likely to skid. The system works automatically, reducing the speed of certain wheels, depending on the side of the skid. Thus, it returns the car to the desired trajectory.
Inexperienced drivers may not even notice that the computer saved them from a dangerous situation. The system reads information from numerous sensors 50 times per second, therefore it responds much faster than the driver himself.
3. Adaptive Cruise Control
Car owners unanimously declared this option indispensable. The system’s functionality makes driving easy and enjoyable, because it keeps the required distance to another car and automatically reduces or increases speed.
Truly high-quality cruise control models are equipped with a short-range sensor that slows down or stops the car when it’s dangerously close to other vehicles, and a long range sensor that lowers speed to 25-30 km/h. Together, they help stabilize driving in different road conditions.
Automakers promise to gradually improve adaptive cruise control in each of their models. In the meantime, this is not the most budget, but extremely practical option.
4. Heated side mirrors
A large number of car owners recognized its importance in a temperate and cold climate. When the car is used in the autumn-winter season, moisture, raindrops, fog, and snow get on the mirrors. In frosty weather it all freezes, significantly reducing visibility. As a result, it negatively affects the safety of the driver. Heating in a matter of minutes will return mirrors to a high-quality overview and will provide it in any weather disasters.
Basically, the option is launched along with the heated rear window. More expensive versions provide for automatic response of the system.
5. Parking sensors
This function is becoming more and more relevant. Streets of big cities are narrowing more and more, giving the entire area for the sidewalks, and the number of parking spaces is decreasing.
Drivers have to literally fight for every piece of free space. Parking radar helps the driver correctly park the car without damaging it.
The principle of operation of the device is enclosed in the whole system of hypersensitive sensors mounted on the front and rear bumpers. They capture ultrasonic waves reflected from other objects and transmit information about them to the information block. Then the information is processed and served to the driver in the form of sound signals, as well as a video that allows you to safely park the car.
6. Lane control system
This option is important for drivers who have long multi-kilometer trips, as well as for those who often travel in the dark.
Driving is hard work when all the senses and the muscular system are in tension. After several hours of driving, a person naturally loses attention and can accidentally move out of his traffic lane, endangering other drivers. The task of this electronic assistant, known as LDWS, is to alert the driver about the problem in time.
It functions as follows: thanks to the sensors, the necessary trajectory is set. The system captures the road markings, determines the position of the car on it and controls the following this path. At the same time, it reacts to the actions of the driver and can distinguish planned maneuvers from random ones. In the case of the latter, the computer gives a warning signal in the form of a sharp sound or vibration of the steering wheel.
