Ever since Michael J Fox drove a souped-up Delorean into the future, cars have had their very own place in the world of gadgets. In fact, it might not be too far of a push to say that in-car entertainments and additional extras are responsible for pushing each new generation of cars forward as much as body design, engine refinement and performance enhancements.
When it comes to having top of the range gadgetry in a car this is a great time to be around. It wasn’t long ago that a non jumping CD player was seen as the height of technological advancement for in-car entertainment but today high end vehicles make as much of a selling point around their sound systems as they do on their safety tech.
Manufacturers
Major names such as Mercedes put a great emphasis on how the extras that are available can make the user experience even more special, and with their CLA Class they really are taking things to a different level.
Communications and in-car entertainment cover much more than simply a hands-free phone capability and a decent CD deck these days; 5.8-inch tablet style colour displays, 6 speakers systems and telephone keypads with Bluetooth connectivity and USB ports are all features that Mercedes is making available in the CLA. Its additions like these that make their future cars something fans of the time-travelling Delorean could once only dream of (minus the flux capacitor of course).
Radio aerials are now likely to be integrated into the body design and navigation systems are at a level that would have put commercial airliners to shame only a few decades ago.
Central controls
Media interface means far more than the old style ‘in car computer’ systems which most smartphones apps are now more than capable of matching.
Connection and control of portable media devices such as MP3 players and a range of USB storage media is an important consideration these days, and centre consoles which are fully supported with available ports are a big plus point for many. Including cables for aux-in, USB or iPod connectivity is something that Mercedes recognises as an essential item rather than a frivolous extra.
Media interface
As we all become more and more accustomed to tablet interfaces it makes sense that cars follow the trend, with radio and entertainment capabilities being accessed through 7-inch tablet-style colour displays, on-board hard disk drive navigation with 3D map display and in-car Internet access all becoming items that are expected rather than desired.
Speed Limit Assist, voice controls and control of portable media devices are all aspects that make modern cars an extension of our technological lifestyle environments. Soon we won’t even have to worry about driving automated vehicles and who knows how the in-car tech interactive tech will develop from there!
