Believe it or not, most customers don’t actually spend time reading their build sheet when ordering a car, or dive into the features available to them when they purchase a new vehicle. In what came as a shock to this car nerd, my fiancé didn’t even know our family car had gesture controls in the infotainment system until she accidentally used them on a road trip.
Whether you’re as in tune with your options list as I am or not, your car might have some incredibly useful features that you’re not even aware of, and they very well could be the difference in feeling like you got your money’s worth at the dealership or like you got absolutely ripped off by a sales assistant. Whether it’s about comfort or usability, your car is probably a bit smarter than you give it credit for.
Adaptive headlights go deeper than you think
They’re much more than just switching on your high beams
When I use the term “adaptive headlights,” people normally think of their high beams automatically turning on and off, and they’d be correct. However, did you know that’s not all that adaptive headlights do?
Most adaptive headlights, especially on newer vehicles, actually pivot along with you as you’re turning, further illuminating the space you’re headed into rather than the space ahead that you’re going to bypass. They work off a sensor connected to your steering wheel, and the further you turn, the deeper the headlights tilt.
BMW has perfected the technology at this point, but more budget-friendly brands like Mazda aren’t far behind. You might not notice these on your own car, but next time you go to turn into your driveway or a parking space, see if the light in front of you tracks towards your turn at all.
Auto Hold/Brake Hold
This is not your parking brake randomly engaging
Most people confuse their car’s auto hold or brake hold with their parking brake randomly engaging at stops, and either turn it off or never use the feature in the first place. However, those same people probably spend a lot of time standing on their brake pedal in the middle of traffic for no good reason, and what’s the use in that? Auto Hold, or Brake Hold, whichever your vehicle calls it, is one of the handiest pieces of tech on modern cars, and most don’t realize they’re using it.
That’s due in large part to the fact that nobody drives manual transmissions anymore. In a traditional manual car, you do have to either keep enough clutch pressure up (which I wouldn’t recommend) or hold the brakes to stay completely still at stoplights and in other traffic situations. This was the case for automatic cars, too, until Auto Hold came along. You can even purchase most manual cars now with an Auto Hold feature, although it works a bit differently than in an automatic.
Hidden Key Fob Functionality
Some engineers have entirely too much time on their hands
While many drivers view their keys simply as a vessel that allows them to use the car they purchased or keep their possessions safe, the engineers tasked with designing the functionality of most key fobs were either a) given much larger budgets than they needed or b) got really bored one day, and decided to embed some cool functions in most fobs on the market today.
For instance, depending on your model, holding a certain button will roll all the windows down to let heat escape. I abuse this feature as someone who lives in West Texas, where the heat is genuinely breathtaking at times, and I know my Arizona friends do the same. Aside from letting windows down, though, most fobs come with a function that allows them to fold in the side mirrors, and some even come with a Vehicle Summon tool that allows them to pull forward out of tight spaces.
Follow-Me-Home Headlights
If you forgot to drop a pin, or just don’t care to
This is arguably the least-known feature on this list, but one that is implemented across brands like Hyundai, Chevrolet, and many others. Follow-Me-Home (FMH) headlights are an older feature, but one that’s stuck around on most modern cars simply due to their simplicity and usefulness. Have you ever noticed your headlights staying on longer than usual after pressing the lock button a few times? If so, there’s a good chance you actually activated your FMH headlights. They’ll still turn themselves off, but they’ll stay on long enough for you to check the switch, anyway.
The system can be triggered on many cars by repeatedly pressing the lock button or by flashing your high beams before exiting the vehicle. Another instance in which this feature can be helpful is if you park your car outside. The headlights will illuminate your walking area so you don’t trip or fall. Keep in mind, these are just a few features that drivers often miss, and your vehicle may be packed with a few more, so check out your options list or fire up the Google searches just to be sure.
