Celebrate the new 16-plates with these car technology innovations
No matter which new car you decide to celebrate the '16' registration plate with, it's bound to be fitted with a range of safety enhancing, entertainment boosting technology taken straight from a James Bond scene.
New 16 registration plates will be introduced from 1st March 2016, and there are many advantages to buying a brand new car.
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However you decide to tailor the vehicle's specification depending on your required needs, buying a brand new car with a 16 plate will open a whole new world when it comes to getting from A to B.
To celebrate the launch of the new registration plates, we've selected 16 of the most exciting new car technology innovations to look out for when buying a new car in 2016.
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Hand gesture control
Arguably the most ground-breaking innovation to car technology in 2016 will be hand gesture control. The latest version of BMW's iDrive multimedia control system, debuting in the 2016 7 Series sedan, can be operated by hand gestures.
With the use of a small infrared camera on the dashboard, drivers will be able to adjust the audio volume by simply rotating an index finger near the screen, or point at it with two spread fingers if you want to play a route home via the navigation system.
Driver monitoring
This one is for parents who worry about the safety of their children when they get behind the wheel. With the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu sedan, owners will be able to view a Teen Driver feature that lets you monitor the driving via an onscreen data report.
The report includes distance driven, maximum speed reached, and it also mutes the audio system if front-seat occupants aren't wearing seat belts, and an alert will then be sent to the driver when the vehicle is exceeding a preset speed. It also prevents switching off key safety features such as stability control and park assist.
Smart Power Liftgate
Hands-free tailgate opening by waving a foot under the boot is already a thing, but now several 2016 Hyundai models will feature Smart Power Liftgate. This system enables an owner to activate a power opening feature by simply standing near the rear of the car for a few seconds with the key either in their pocket or bag.
Remote control parking
This is a car gadget straight out of a James Bond movie. Drivers of the new BMW 7 Series will be able to park the car while stood outside, equipped with just the key fob. The fob features a tiny video screen that can allow an owner to remotely pull the car into a garage or a parking space and back it out later.
Fans of 007's Tomorrow Never Dies will recognise this feature, and will be able to use it for those tricky parking situations that don't leave the driver with much room to get out the vehicle once it's parked.
LaneWatch
Blind spots may no longer be a thing if Honda's LaneWatch system takes off in 2016. Newly included on the 2016 Honda CR-V and HR-V crossovers and the Accord coupe and sedan, the LaneWatch system provides the driver with a video view of the passenger's side of the road, allowing for a better view of the blind spot in order to help identify pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles.
Autonomous driving
It may not be the self-driving, completely driverless Google car, but autonomous driving is quickly becoming more of a reality as the years go by, and 2016 is expected to be a huge year in its growth. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class already has an active parking assist system and advanced cruise control, so the level of autonomous systems is bound to increase throughout the next 12 months.
We could also soon be seeing the rollout of Tesla's Autopilot system, which is described as being "almost able to travel all the way from San Francisco to Seattle without the driver touching any controls at all" by Elon Musk.
Lighter weight
Despite the increasing number of safety features and new gadgets, you will be surprised to hear that cars are getting lighter. In fact, thanks to advances in design and construction, cars are now shedding an incredible amount of weight, with the Mazda Miata around 148 pounds lighter than the outgoing model, and BMW's new flagship 7-Series uses carbon fiber reinforced plastic in order to shed 190 pounds.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Your choice of smartphone will soon have an impact on what car you drive with the impending takeover from Apple and Android. It's widely expected that 2016 will be the year you can finally plug in your smartphone and access apps on the move, as long as it doesn't distract you from your driving, of course.
Ford, Vauxhall, Volvo and Volkswagen will all support one or both of the software giants. Accessing in-car entertainment, maps and hands-free calling and messaging will never be any easier. The hard part is choosing which software.
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Car-sharing services
Influenced by the growing popularity of services such as Uber for road journeys, Ford have announced that its London-based Go-Drive will be available in Beta stage to the public in May.
According to research by Ford, the car sharing sector in the UK will grow 23% from 2013 to 2025, and many of these services will be supported by all-electric vehicles, another trend growing in popularity.
Talking cars
Soon cars will be able to talk to each other, but not how you may be hoping. Volvo, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are currently trialing systems, dubbed Car-to-X, that involve cars interacting with one another through NFC chips and built-in SIM cards.
The cars fitted with these devices will be able to spot obstructions and potential hazards before any human can, for example, a broken down car on a hazardous bend could send out a distress signal which is then picked up by other cars in the area.
Headlight technology
A new era of vehicle illumination is upon us, with headlights becoming smarter thanks to a number of mass-market manufacturers use of laser technology. A number of Audi models will feature automatic high-bean assist that can provide optimum light without dazzling other drivers.
New Volvo models being introduced in 2016 will feature its 'bending' headlight technology that can swivel the lamps with steering input to light up more of the road. Ford, Vauxhall and Mercedes-Benz have started to utilise LED bulbs to light up the streets, with the upcoming Mercedes E-Class featuring 84 individual high-performance LEDs at the front, a lot more than the 24 used in the current model.
Holistic Connectivity
The car is no longer just a piece of metal that gets you from A to B, now they are fitted with the latest multimedia systems that allow emails to be read and sent, hands-free calls and whatever is on your mind to be uploaded to social media.
Now, the car is being used to power integrate with home electronics such as heating and alarm systems when not in use. Known as Holistic Connectivity, this technology has been demonstrated by Continental, whose innovation connects to the web in order to switch on the home heating or record a TV show when the car is within a two-mile radius.
Rearview Camera Mirror
Would you benefit from having your rearward field of vision by 300 percent? That's what the new Cadillac CT6 luxury sedan will offer with its rearview camera mirror. This mirror will offer a streaming-video rearview mirror that provides the driver with a widescreen view behind the vehicle that's unobstructed by passengers, headrests and rear window pillars.
It seems like new cars can't have too many cameras fitted these days, and this vision boosting streaming-video mirror could be implemented into all new cars if it takes off this year.
Performance data recorder
Owners of the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette sports car and Cadillac CTS-V high performance sedan will be able to record high-definition video of their driving exploits thanks to an all-new onboard Performance Data Recorder. The system will feature recordings of full data overlays (speed, engine RPM, gear position and g-force) and allow users to share them on social media.
Wireless phone charging
A perfect solution for those who get annoyed by wires trailing everywhere will be coming to new cars in 2016. Wireless phone charging, a feature that is already fitted in certain Jeep models and the new-generation Toyota Prius hybrid, will soon be a common piece of technology in all new cars.
The days of untangling wires at the bottom of your car will soon be over.
Stop-start systems
Built up traffic could be changed forever with the introduction of stop-start systems. An increasing number of cars are now automatically turning the engine off when they are stopped thanks to a stop-start system designed to save fuel.
Select models are already fitted with the stop-star system but more cars will be able to save on fuel during heavy traffic because of strict emissions and economy targets set by the European Union.