INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Imagine a future where every car is surrounded by a safety shield
In light of the coronavirus outbreak, it might not be a bad idea
enough, it already exists.While testing the 2019 VW Arteon for a full three months right now, I have had the safety shield warn me about
There are several driver assistance features, but the one that impressed me the most could prevent crashes on side streets.Image 1 of
When another car comes too close, you hear a chime and see a warning in the center display
It even shows you where they're getting too close (your left rear side, in the US)
Many times during my test, I inched away from other drivers in traffic jams and at malls.In one case, I could tell someone was heading right
I liked seeing and hearing that someone was not paying attention
I know if I have to exit the vehicle in case there is a fender bender, we will have to talk to each other and not maintain social distancing
We will have to exchange documents
When I go to get groceries in my area, I know the safety shield is working overtime to warn me about these minor mishaps
I also know the future of driving will definitely involve this type of tech.For example, at much higher speeds, the car could do more than
It might take over and drive defensively on your behalf
(Many cars already can brake for you and some can even swerve to the side of the road.)In the future, a car might know the exact trajectory
of an oncoming car and perform a maneuver few of us would be able to do, such as an abrupt swerve that moves us to another lane (but that is
not so abrupt that we flip).Image 1 of 3(Image credit: Volkswagen)Image 2 of 3(Image credit: Volkswagen)Image 3 of 3(Image credit:
seen it in person in the Arteon
because engineers have already thought about them
futuristic tech in today's hottest cars
John Brandon, a journalist who's been writing about cars for 12 years, puts a new car and its cutting-edge tech through the paces every week
