#AdaptiveCruiseControl

Adaptive cruise control is common on many high-end cars, but did you know that a massive monthly payment isn’t necessary to access the technology?

In the latest of an ongoing series of technical briefings Ford showcased some of the advanced technology going in the brand-new 2015 Mustang. Some high-end driver-assistance features will be made available for the first time in addition to a host of new standard equipment.

Two new safety systems from Toyota were announced in Japan today that will better protect pedestrians and make highway driving safer.

Adaptive cruise control, emergency brake assist and blind-spot monitoring were the stuff of science fiction just a decade ago, but today these features are available on many reasonably priced, mass-market vehicles. Pushing driver assistance even further, Continental is developing a suite of advanced technologies with some pretty amazing capabilities.

Traffic, inclement weather and road construction add up to headaches and frustration for motorists. According to automotive supplier company Continental the typical driver spends an average 50 minutes per day commuting to work. Add it up and that’s roughly 300 hours per year that could be spent doing more productive things.

While active cruise control already exists in production vehicles, these systems use sensors and cameras to see what is coming, limiting them when it comes to knowing what is over the next hill or around the next bend. This problem is driving companies such as Mercedes-Benz to develop car-to-car communication devices. 

It seems everyone is looking into self-driving cars these days, but it looks like Cadillac will be the first company to offer hands free driving in a production car. 

In between moments of fun, spirited, and recreational driving, there are some boring moments spent queuing behind crawling traffic. At this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Audi introduced a new system that can alleviate this inconvenience with the push of a button, using a device known simply as the Traffic Jam Assistant.

Opel, General Motors’ German wing is boasting big changes to their Insignia sedan, including a new biturbo diesel.The engine makes 195 horsepower and about 295 foot-pounds of torque, but the real eye-catcher on the new engine is fuel consumption and emissions. The new Insignia is only supposed to emit 129g/km of CO2 and achieves 48 miles-per-gallon.

For 2010 Acura has given its flagship MDX SUV a mid-cycle refresh which includes a new six speed transmission, an exciting Advance Package and, of course, the company’s new corporate shield grille. And we have to say, while the grille is “controversial” at best on Acura’s other models, it really seems to work on this hefty crossover.