Top 7 New Car Features that We Want to See More of this 2017

Not too long ago, GPS, Bluetooth, and even seatbelts were considered upscale new car features that were only to be found in the priciest of vehicles. Today, many car models have them, and they even come standard in many low-rung trims. As what was once deemed to be cutting edge technology becomes commonplace, car engineers and designers are developing more tech and gadgets to keep drivers interested in buying a new car or replacing their old one.

As the world moves closer toward autonomous vehicles, high-tech features in today's cars have certainly developed leaps and bounds. Now, by no means are the tech features on this list brand new and never seen before, but we expect them to trickle down to more affordable models and gain widespread use so more people can benefit from them, much like the technology that came ahead.

1. Stop-Start Systems

Whatever manufacturers want to call it—Stop/Start, Start/Stop, iStop, Stop-and-Go—the function of this type of system remains the same. Basically, it automatically turns off the engine when the car is stationary and turns it back on again when it's time to go. Aside from not having to deal with the annoying hum of your engine, stop-start systems allow you to save immense amounts of fuel.

As the Philippines continues to develop stricter emission requirements, expect more cars to have this technology. The good news is, if you don't want to use this feature, you can simply disable it with the push of a button.

New car models with stop-start systems: Hyundai i10, Mazda 3, Mini Cooper, BMW 3-Series

2. Auto High Beam

Auto high beam technology can detect preceding and oncoming vehicles and then automatically switch between low and high beams. This allows drivers to see what's ahead better in the nighttime and make it easier to recognize hazards. Some systems are even able to switch to low beam when the vehicle is driving in well-lit areas. Unfortunately, as the technology is today, there's still plenty of room for improvement. One of the main issues cited claim that they can get fooled by reflective lights, dipping the beam even when there are no oncoming cars.

New car models with auto high beam: Honda Accord, Jeep Cherokee, Ford Explorer, Land Rover Range Rover, Mazda 6, Toyota Camry

3. Wireless Charging for Smartphones

Wireless charging systems offer a world of convenience. Think about it, aren't you tired of dealing with cables and USB ports just to power up your phone? The way wireless charging systems work is they send electrical current through a coiled wire pack inside a charging pad. This in turn creates an electromagnetic field (EMF) around the charging surface, allowing electrons to flow through the receiver and recharge your device's battery. As the number of smartphone users continues to grow around the world (estimates are saying it may reach 5 billion soon), it's practically guaranteed that we're going to see this feature in more cars in the future.

New car models with wireless charging for smartphones: Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Camaro, Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus LX Series

4. 360-degree Cameras

With rearview cameras now standard in many affordable cars such as the Honda City and Chevrolet Trax, there really is little excuse for today's cars not to have them. And with car manufacturers always trying to one-up each other, there's an even better mode of car camera that makes parking and seeing obstacles around the car much easier—360-degree cameras. Using at least four cameras installed on each side of the vehicle, this technology combines the images captured by the different cameras together to give you a bird's eye view of your car and shows a complete image of your surroundings on the car's monitor screen. For owners of cars that have this feature, there really is no excuse for poor parking.

New car models with 360-degree cameras: Land Rover Range Rover, Lexus LX Series, Volvo XC90, Kia Optima

5. Voice Command

With all the dangers of using a smartphone while driving, it's good to know that we know have voice-command technology in our cars. Of course, there exists plenty of challenges for the users of this tech, such as the ability to distinguish different ways of pronouncing syllables and words, but the future certainly looks bright for voice-enabled cars.

New car models with voice command: Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, Ford EcoSport, Ford Explorer, Ford Escape, Ford Everest, Ford Expedition, Ford Mustang, Ford Ranger, Honda Accord, Lexus GS

6. Self-Parking

The self-parking feature was first seen in luxury vehicles, but the technology has proven to be very useful, with plenty of real-world applications, that it has recently found its way into mainstream vehicles. The latest self-parking features make parallel and perpendicular parking a cinch, with some allowing users to manage the system from outside the car using a smartphone app.

New car models with self-parking feature: Ford Focus, Chevrolet Malibu, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Hyundai Santa Fe

7. Tire Pressure Monitor

A flat tire can cause a car to crash or rollover if the driver isn't aware he or she is driving with one. With a tire pressure monitor, drivers will be able to tell if they have a deflated or flat tire before it causes problems. The system is already available on a lot of top end luxury models, but is expected to gain more widespread use in 2017 and beyond. The good news is that these systems can easily be fitted to a car, so even if your particular model doesn't have one, you can simply purchase a tire pressure monitor and have it installed.

New car models with tire pressure monitor: Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi R8, Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Land Cruiser, Chevrolet Captiva

Are there any cars that we missed that have these particular features? Let us know in the comments below.