Technology in luxury vehicles: What to look for

At first, I thought I mistakenly activated the high beams in the 2012 Jaguar XF, so I turned them off. Then they turned back on . . . at least until another car was approaching, when then they kindly turned off.

State-of-the-art gizmos like this are features I'd love to have on my next car. They are often found in luxury vehicles to begin with, but over time, successful technologies tend to work their way into the mainstream. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Auto braking. In 2010, Volvo introduced a feature that detects pedestrians in a vehicle's path and responds with a full automatic brake. Now, it is working to extend the safety feature to other walks of life with a wild-animal-detection system. Software is still being developed to determine when the protective system should respond, but once completed, it will work day and night to detect large animals, such as deer, that risk injuring the driver in a collision, using a radar sensor and infrared camera.

• In-car masseuse. Heated seats are so last decade, which is why we are happy to see ventilated ones in the Kia Optima and many models by Infiniti and BMW. The Audi A8 defines luxury car seats though--front seating includes standard 18-way adjustable seats with memory and heated and ventilated seats. Available massaging comes five ways, including wave, knocking, stretch, lumbar and shoulder--as well it should for a car with an $80,000 sticker price.

• Navigation systems that reroute you around traffic. A dream come true if you’re travelling in an unfamiliar area--and isn’t that really the only time you need a navigation system? Look for it on Acura, Honda, Hyundai and Kia models.

• Cross-traffic blind-spot detection. With all of the tall SUVs and pickup trucks in parking lots, it helps to have a little help seeing around the vehicle next to you when you’re pulling out. This feature alerts you when a car is approaching on either side as you’re backing out. While it often signals a tad late, it’s better than not having that extra set of eyes at all. It’s available on several models made by Ford, including most Lincoln models, and on some Chrysler vehicles.

• Head-up display. I can’t be in a minority when I say I need fairly regular reminding of the speed limit. So having it flashed on the windshield--where it doesn’t distract but catches my attention fairly regularly--is a good thing. It’s on models sold by General Motors, Audi and BMW, among others.

• Heated steering wheel. And what was that? My hands were all toasty on a 30-degree morning. Again, first I thought something might be wrong with the car (and if it were my old-but-not-classic Jag, it probably would mean it was ready to blow up). But this was something I really had inadvertently turned on. Once I figured out where the icon was on the touch screen, I put it on almost every time I drove the car. It’s like the automotive equivalent of putting on big fluffy slippers. You can find heated steering wheels on luxury cars including several by BMW and Audi, but it’s even available as an option on the Nissan Maxima. I’m not sure I can live without this feature in my next car. Call me spoiled.

• Car talk. Here's a look at the future of technology in luxury vehicles. Automakers are developing a system that could help the driver communicate with computers, radios and TVs to gather information about the most efficient route or operation of the vehicle. BMW is among those researching "car-to-x" communication, which means an electronic networking of vehicles and roadside infrastructure that can be transmitted back to the driver. For example, a driver may be notified that he/she will be stopped at a red light and advised to slow down at that time. This feature may also be seen on Audi and General Motors vehicles.

Unlike many car owners--and reviewers--I think a car can be a better driver than me, and have much better focus behind the wheel. So I’m OK with any number of the new technology features like these that take over some of the controls for me or warn me about possible problems.

Although these are more commonly found on luxury models, as buyers are typically less worried about paying more, look for them to trickle down to everyday drivers in the next few years.