Techno Impressions

Have had the new car for three weeks now. It's a lot like checking out in a new jet. Sure you can probably figure out the basic check-list, pre-start, take-off and landing speeds then go for a ride, but today a car is a whole lot more than simply a ride to the bar. The modern weapon system takes some training to employ to maximum effect.

There's some basic tech, of course. Radios have been around for a long time. Ditto for windshield wipers, lights, and performance gauges. I've had CD changers, automatic headlights, cruise control, and nav systems before as well. I even had voice control on the last car, but never used it very much because it was cludgy and didn't really respond to any but the very specific programmed command list. I didn't feel like learning to recite passages from scripture just to tune the radio or get the nav to take me to a restaurant.

Now we're five years further into the future and although there are a few bells and whistles out there which I don't have, this package has got most of them. Some comments here on what's new and what I like so far:

XM radio. A pet peeve of mine when I travel is driving through the great American West and traversing huge reaches of the country with no radio stations except Bubba the Bard with the latest prices on sow belly futures or Reverend Alfonso Trumpbuster's bible hour. Lots of good music in all genres as well as talk, news, sports and probably the neatest feature, traffic congestion and construction advisories accessed through the nav system for possible impact on your route. Hearing "Road construction one mile ahead," is pretty neat warning.

MP3 hookup. Whether you've got an iPod, Zune, flashdrive or some other player, simply plug it in and you've got another easily accessible entertainment source. Search by artist, album, genre or song title. Play random from an album, an artist, a playlist or your entire library. All accessed through the multi-function display.

Bluetooth phone. Pair the phone, the car records your contact list. When you get in the vehicle it knows the phone is there. Calls get announced, the nav screen shows ID, answer with a touch of a steering wheel button. Want to call someone? Simply tell the voice control system the name or the number you want to call. Hands-free and safer.

Adaptive cruise control. I didn't think I'd like this, but I'm hooked. Engage cruise control. See a digital readout of the speed you've set. A click gets you one MPH increase or decrease. Hold for increase/decrease in 5MPH increments. A slower vehicle ahead and you slow to maintain distance automatically. You can set three ranges, 180, 130 and 80 feet of spacing. Simply steer around the slower car and you accelerate back to cruise setting. Totally transparent.

Voice control. No need to memorize syntax for commands. Simply say "help" and you get a menu on the nav display for types of commands. Say "navigation commands" or "radio commands" and you get that list. Want to enter a nav destination? No need to tediously enter city, state, street, address. Simply say "navigation destination" and the system will ask you questions. "What state?" "Texas." "Did you mean Texas?" "What city..."

Navigation. This keeps getting better. In guidance mode it displays split screen. Left side shows your map, right shows a list of the turns with distance, direction and road name. Voice enunciates instruction and the XM traffic alerts will let you reroute to avoid problems.

Cooled and heated driver's seat. Yep, not only do you get bun-warming in the winter, you now can have butt-chilling for those hot summer drives.

Rear window sunshade. Sun coming up behind you? Glaring headlights from the fool in back of you? Simply raise the sunshade and it's taken care of.

Adaptive headlight system. Cadillac had some turning headlights back in the '60s, but this is a whole new ballgame. Swells in the road are no problem. The headlights are gyro stabilized for leveling. Around the corners they turn to light your way.

Parking assist. Moving forward sensors in the front bumper provide visual and audio alert for obstacles on your left, right and directly in front. In reverse you get the same as well as a video camera with reference lines for distance.

Smart key. No need to dig in your pocket for the key. Simply carry it on your person and the car knows you! Open the doors, press the start button and go. Pretty convenient.

There are other goodies, but it's a long way from Dad's '38 Plymouth sedan with the suicide doors, wood-spoke wheels and vacuum windshield wipers. Mine know when rain hits the windshield and take care of it automatically.