Best Technology-laden Cars of 2011

Technology is evolving at a geometric rate in today’s date. It is evolving in leaps and bounds the size of Karnataka making the world a better place to live in as machines get smoother, carbon emissions reduce and Rajnikant jokes finally stop cracking out of no where.

Talking today about the best Technology laden cars released this year, I feel the day is not far when we would actually have a tiny selection of buttons on our lightweight sport cars saying, ‘Flight-Mode’ or ‘Under-Water Mode’ or ‘Transform-tiny-suitcase-carry-me-home Mode.’ Now we see what Technology emerged in this year’s select crop of automobiles launched in India.

Mercedes-Benz SLK350 :

The big news this year when revolutionary roofs are concerned was Mercedes with its ‘MAGIC SKY CONTROL’ unit fit into its SLK350. Mercedes has a variety of customers around the world with different needs and expectations and like every time it gives its clients a reason to be proud to sport the Tri-Star on their grill.

Mercedes-Benz is offering a choice of three variants of the lightweight-construction retractable hard-top for the new SLK
1.    The standard roof is painted in the vehicle colour.
2.    Optionally available is a panorama roof with dark-tinted glass.
3.    The third option is a world premiere - the panorama roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL.

MAGIC SKY CONTROL – This is a special glass roof which switches to light or dark transparency at the press of a button. If the glass structure is subjected to an electrical voltage, particles in the structure position themselves so that light is able to pass through the glass. If the voltage remains switched off, however, the particles position themselves randomly. This partially blocks the light, and the glass remains dark. The control unit and converter are integrated into the front section of the roof, and the switch is in the overhead control console. 

•    Light Mode - In light mode it is virtually transparent, offering an open-air experience even in cold weather. UV and infrared light are also effectively blocked in this mode.

•    Dark Mode – Insulation increases more significantly and noticeably in dark mode, thereby helping to keep the temperature on interior parts such as armrests cooler by up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit compared with conventional tinted glass. Also the innovative glass also shields against the sun's rays far more effectively than conventional thermal insulation glass or sun blinds, the occupants of the new SLK also enjoy the highest level of climatic comfort.

When driving with the roof open would be unpleasant due to intense heat, the driver and front passenger are able to relax under the MAGIC SKY CONTROL roof - an important contribution to onboard comfort and the driver-fitness safety typical of a Mercedes. Even when the vehicle is parked the interior does not overheat since the roof is switched to darkened mode when the ignition is turned-off.

Mahindra XUV 5OO :

The XUV entered the market like none before, with its feature packed value for money offering in the SUV market. Brilliantly engineered, the XUV packs in features such as the Tell-All Cluster that looks seriously impressive and beautifully spaced out, the touch screen centre console that has a GPS system preloaded into it, all four wheels are equipped with disc brakes, along with other useful features like a hill decent mode and the much talked about Torque on demand mode.

TORQUE ON DEMAND – This differential offering from the double-O makes life so much simpler and efficient. The power from the gearbox goes to the front wheels on normal roads and in normal everyday conditions and is transferred to the rear differential as and when required, for instance if you decide to take the XUV off road and climb a path that does not offer much grip such as gravel and the front wheels are just not able to pull the car, that’s when the on board computer sends a signal to the rear wheels and drive gets transferred to them, making the XUV a hardcore 4x4. 

SIX SPEED GEARBOX – The first six speed transmission developed fully by Mahindra & Mahindra definitely deserves a round of applause.

MONOCOQUE BODY – The XUV5OO is the first Indian production vehicle to sport a Monocoque body. A Monocoque body means the chassis and the body are a single unit. Increasing safety, rigidity, over all handling and lower maintenance.

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Ford Fiesta Automatic:

The new Fiesta comes packed with technology that’s won our hearts, its voice recognition system will dial important people, adjust the volume or air conditioning temperature and select your favourite tracks on your iPod. Bluetooth connectivity that enables you to connect your phone and other devices to it. But what we are raving about the most is the superb Dual Clutch Gearbox.
   

POWERSHIFT TECHNOLOGY – What the PowerShift technology is, is basically a twin clutch gearbox, but what makes it interesting is that this ‘box offers the average that is usually juiced out of a manual transmission fit car, from an automatic car. The moment you encounter the 6-speed dual clutch feature in the brochure, first impressions are bound to be good. But there’s more to than just two sets of friction plates.

Contrary to the traditional ‘torque converter in hydraulic transmission fluid’ set-up, the Ford Fiesta uses a dry friction material facing, which essentially means a truckload of savings in weight and power losses thereby instantly increasing efficiency. Add to that numerous micro-chips that record and adjust every bit of functioning and it amounts to loads of techno babble that you’d need a post doctorate in automotive engineering to understand. But what it translates to in real world terms is an automatic transmission that adapts to the mode of driving you’re mentally in.

Depending on how fast you depress the accelerator pedal, PowerShift will react accordingly and adjust gear shift rpm. All this while, since there are lesser moving parts in the transmission itself to take care of since the hydraulic pump is absent, it also amounts to more fuel economy.

VOICE CONTROL MODE : This controls with a touch of a button voice controls such as access to the radio and its channels the music options, temperature controls, and any function the car has to offer.

Volvo S60 :

Stepping inside the Volvo S60 is a pleasant experience. A plush interior with great fit and finish is what greets you and immediately you feel the amount of effort that has gone in to make this car stand up against the rest.

PEDESTRIAN DETECTION WITH FULL AUTO BRAKE :The all-new Volvo S60 features the ground breaking Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake system. Pedestrian Detection consists of a newly developed radar unit integrated into the car's grille, a camera fitted in front of the interior rear-view mirror, and a central control unit. The radar's task is to detect any object in front of the car and to determine the distance to it. The camera determines what type of object it is.

The full auto brake part of the technology also responds to vehicles in front that are at a standstill or that are moving in the same direction as the car fitted with the system.

The newly developed dual-mode radar's a much wider field of vision, ensuring that pedestrians about to step into the roadway are detected quite early on. The camera is of a higher resolution as compared to the previous-generation auto brake system, which now makes it possible to detect a pedestrian's pattern of movement with even better precision.

New 2011 Volkswagen Passat :

The first thing that stands out about the new Passat is its looks. Stylish, sleek and more importantly, it now configures to the design DNA of the Volkswagen family. The straight lines and cleanly structured surfaces lend an element of subtle luxury to the car which has been carried out in order to build a link to the Phaeton, Volkswagen's high end luxury sedan, thereby hoping for a rub off effect on the Passat. The car has a low profile and a sense of 'width' which is associated with cars from a higher segment.

PARKING ASSIST: The all new Passat uses this function with the help of ultrasonic sensors that are fitted in the front, side and the rear of the vehicle. These ultrasonic sensors gauge the exact length and breadth of a parking slot as you drive past a parking zone, and informs you when you have passed a suitable parking space that is wide and long enough to fit the dimensions of your car.

Once the car has found a suitable parking slot, all the driver is required is move forward and then bring the vehicle to a standstill. He then has to switch to reverse gear, and just let go of the steering wheel. The system will then take over the wheel and begin to self maneuver the car using its rear view camera to adjust the track overlay, which you can observe on the screen fitted on your cars entertainment console area.

A combination of the cars sensors and the back up camera allows the onboard computer to adjust the angle of traction and speed depending on the proximity of nearby vehicles, so as to maneuver your vehicle perfectly in order to make it fit into the limited parking space available. One the car has been brought into position, the Intelligent Park Assist System will inform the driver that the parking operation has been executed successfully, and that you are free to take over control or kill the engine and simply walk out.

BLUEMOTION TECHNOLOGY : BlueMotion Technologies is a range of innovations and refinements that is finding its way into the entire range of Volkswagen cars, beginning with the all new Passat that has been recently launched in India. Working in close tandem with Volkswagen’s current line up of automobiles the newly incorporated BlueMotion Technology will make all future VW cars some of the cleanest, most energy efficient and fun to drive automobiles in the world.

Honda CBR 250R :

Trademark Honda, the composed and dignified manners of the CBR250R instantly win the heart but somehow the bike does not quite excite or instigate the madness that’s expected from a fast fun-to-ride motorcycle. But the interesting part here is that the bike is significantly quick for a single cylinder machine and also an able handler for the street, which makes it a fun ride.

DOHC – The first Indian bike to have a double overhead camshaft. A double-overhead-camshaft (also known as dual-overhead-camshaft) valve-train layout is characterized by two camshafts located within the cylinder head, one operating the intake valves and one operating the exhaust valves. Some engines have more than one bank of cylinder heads and these have two camshafts in total, but they remain SOHC, unless each side has two camshafts.