Safety and comfort. Useful features in the car
One of the criteria for choosing a car is its equipment, both in terms of safety and comfort. In this regard, the buyer has a wide choice. What to search?
For some time now, the trends in the equipment of cars by manufacturers have been such that many elements and safety systems also affect driving comfort. If a car is equipped with a number of safety-enhancing elements, driving becomes more comfortable, as various systems monitor, for example, the track or the car's surroundings. On the other hand, when the driver has at his disposal equipment that improves driving comfort, he can drive the car more safely.
Until recently, advanced systems were only available for high-end cars. At present, the choice of equipment for elements that increase driving safety is very wide. Such systems are also offered by automakers to a wide range of customers. Skoda, for example, has a wide range of offerings in this area.
Already in the Fabia model, you can choose systems such as Blind Spot Detection, i.e. blind spot monitoring function in the side mirrors, Rear Traffic Alert - a function of assistance when leaving a parking space, Light Assist, which automatically switches the high beam to dipped beam, or Front Assist, which monitors the distance to the vehicle in front, which is useful in dense traffic and greatly improves driving safety.
In turn, the Light and Rain Assist system - dusk and rain sensor - combines safety with comfort. When driving in rain of varying intensity, the driver will not have to turn on the wipers every now and then, the system will do it for him. The same applies to the rear-view mirror, which is part of this package: if the car appears behind the Fabia after dark, the mirror is automatically dimmed so as not to dazzle the driver with reflections from the vehicle behind.
It is also worth taking care of synchronizing the smartphone with the car, thanks to which the driver will have access to a range of information from his phone and use the manufacturer's application. This feature is provided by an audio system with Smart Link function.
Even more options for retrofitting the car can be found in the Octavia. Those who drive a lot outside of built-up areas should pay attention to the elements and systems of equipment that support the driver and make driving easier. This is, for example, the Blind Spot Detect function, i.e. control of blind spots in the mirrors. And on winding roads, fog lights are a useful element, illuminating the turns. In turn, drivers using the car in the city can be helped by Rear Traffic Alert, i.e. assistance function when leaving the parking space.
Both should select Multicollision Brake, which is part of the ESP system and provides added safety by automatically braking the Octavia after a collision is detected to prevent further crashes. It is worth combining this system with the Crew Protect Assist function, i.e. active protection for the driver and front passenger. In the event of an accident, the system tightens the seat belts and closes the side windows if they are ajar.
An equipment combination that can be an example of the combination of comfort and safety is Auto Light Assist, i.e. function of automatic inclusion and change of light. The system automatically controls the high beam. At speeds over 60 km/h, when it is dark, this function will automatically turn on the high beams. If another vehicle is moving in front of you, the system switches the headlights to low beam.
But systems that affect driving comfort do not only work while driving. For example, thanks to the heated windshield, the driver does not need to bother with the removal of ice, and there is also no fear of scratching the windshield.
Side Assist is available in Skoda's latest model, the Scala. This is an advanced blind spot detection that detects vehicles outside the driver's field of view from a distance of 70 meters, 50 meters more than with BSD. In addition, you can choose among other things Active Cruise Control ACC, operating at speeds up to 210 km/h. Also introduced were Rear Traffic Allert and Park Assist with emergency braking when manoeuvring.
It is worth remembering that in Skala Scala Front Assist and Lane Assist are already available as standard equipment.
In the Karoq SUV, they found many pieces of equipment that increase safety and driving comfort. For example, Lane Assist detects lane lines on the road and prevents them from being crossed unintentionally. When the driver approaches the edge of the lane without turning on the turn signal, the system makes a corrective steering wheel movement in the opposite direction.
Traffic Jam Assist is an extension of Lane Assist, which is useful when driving in slow traffic. At speeds up to 60 km/h, the system can take full control of the car from the driver - it will definitely stop in front of the vehicle in front and pull away when it also starts moving.
This, of course, is only a small part of the possibilities that Skoda creates in completing its models in terms of safety and comfort. The car buyer can decide what to invest in to improve their own safety.
