More automobiles now offer features normally reserved for luxury vehicles

By JEFFREY STEELE, Special Advertising Sections Writer

As model years go, 2006 isn’t destined to be a landmark year for the introduction of hot new accessories, gadgets and gizmos, auto industry experts say.

What is noteworthy, however, is the number of audio, comfort and safety features migrating from ultra-high-end vehicles into more mainstream cars, trucks, SUVs and vans.

“Rather than new socko, boffo introductions, this year we’re seeing a proliferation of what we’ve seen before,” said Joe Wiesenfelder, senior editor of Chicago-based Cars.com. “And there’s a move of those accessories into more affordable cars.”

Joe DeMatio, senior editor of Ann Arbor-based Automobile Magazine, agreed.

“The trickle-down effect has accelerated,” he said of the hottest accessories. “It used to take five to 10 years for things to trickle down from the most expensive cars to more mainstream vehicles. That time period has now [been] compressed to three to five years.”

From the days of the first car radio to today’s sound systems, advanced audio equipment has always been among the most sought-after new accessories. It’s no different this year.

Now that iPods are so popular with the under age 30 crowd, DeMatio said, vehicle manufacturers are vying against one another to devise ways to let them use those devices in their vehicles.

The Honda Civic is among several new models that allow drivers to plug in accessories such as iPods or MP3s.

“They’re doing this through auxiliary input jacks, which are small ports in the dashboard of the car,” he explained. “You plug in your iPod or MP3, and the more sophisticated systems allow you to display the content on the audio system’s screen.”

Among 2006 model year vehicles that allow drivers to plug in iPods or MP3s are the Honda Civic, PT Cruiser and the Chevy HHR, a hatchback wagon with a retro design, DeMatio said.

Another development in audio accessories is digital radio, increasingly offered as a standard on high-end sedans and SUVs, and as an option ($200-$300) on other vehicles.

Already a significant trend in England, digital radio is starting to catch on here as well, said Dan Kahn, road test editor for Santa Monica-based Edmunds.com. Most major market radio stations are investing in digital broadcast equipment that allows them to not only transmit their signals through a tower or dish, but also to “piggy back” information on the signal, such as the station call letters or the station’s nickname.

“You get better sound, better reception, and that piggy-back signal allows you to get station information, possibly the name of the deejay or the song” on digital-ready FM radios, Kahn said. In addition, audiophiles are increasingly flocking to 5.1 and 6.1 digital surround-sound stereo systems, according to Kahn.

Surround sound is standard only on the Acura RL. It’s an option on other vehicles in a variety of packages. For instance, an optional $1,000 package for the 2005 Audi A4 offers digital surround sound bundled with satellite radio.

“A few short years ago, that type of technology was reserved for very high-end home theater systems and movie theaters,” he said. “To have that kind of technology in your car is very impressive. That’s pretty high-tech stuff.”

Comfort and convenience

Speaking of sound, one of the more remarkable innovations to come along in years is active noise cancellation. Currently available in the Acura RL and the Honda Accord hybrid, active noise cancellation places cockpit noise-detecting microphones around the cabin, where they pick up engine or road noise. The system’s speakers then emit an opposite signal that cancels out those noises so the human ear can’t detect them, Kahn said.

Active noise cancellation is used in the Acura RL to enhance the vehicle’s quiet ride.

“In the Accord hybrid, certain functions of the hybrid system create a harmonic inside the car, so they use the system to cancel out that noise,” Kahn said. “The side benefit is a very quiet ride.”

This comparatively new and expensive technology is likely to migrate to luxury cars other than the Acura in years to come, “but I don’t necessarily see it in economy cars,” he said.

Navigation systems, offered only on premium vehicles as recently as a few years ago, are now coming to such mainstream products as the Honda Civic, Mazda 3 and Mazda 5, DeMatio said. Better navigation systems all have touch-screen displays, he added. The problem is that they are still expensive. Though they have declined in price from the original $3,000, many still fetch around $2,000, and few are under $1,500.

Two models now on the market — the 2005 Acura RL and 2005 Cadillac STS — take navigation capabilities one step farther by combining real-time traffic information broadcast by XM Satellite Radio with their navigation systems, said Wiesenfelder.

“Every minute, the system updates traffic conditions, showing through color the traffic congestion on the navigation system’s map,” he explained. “It will also give you little icons showing construction and accidents.”

If there’s a limitation of this navigation system, he added, it’s that it doesn’t route drivers past congestion, construction and accidents. “You still have to factor that in yourself,” he said.

Safety innovations

As technology makes more vehicular innovation possible, automakers are using it to enhance safety as well as comfort, convenience and audio enjoyment. One of the most valuable features to come along in some time is the rearview backup camera, Wiesenfelder said.

When a driver puts his or her car in reverse, a tiny camera mounted inside the rear bumper is activated, displaying an image of any obstruction behind the car.

The technology is available on Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Infiniti, Honda and Acura vehicles. It’s being introduced this season on the Lexus IS250/IS350 entry-level luxury sedans, at some of the lowest price points ever, Wiesenfelder said.

“It’s a great feature for safety and avoiding damage to your car,” he said. “Unfortunately, unless it’s a standard feature, which is the case only in the most expensive vehicles, you can’t get it unless you get navigation, which tends to be expensive.”

For instance, on the Lexus LS 430, the backup camera is part of a $5,000 package that includes such other upgrades as navigation, Bluetooth wireless connectivity and climate-controlled seats. Meanwhile, knee air bags for the front-seat occupants are beginning to proliferate on luxury vehicles, Wiesenfelder said. He saw this feature first on the BMW 7 Series, and it’s recently been introduced on the Lexus IS250 and IS350.

In addition to preventing damage to the knees, these air bags also help prevent “submarining,” in which the driver and passengers can slide underneath the lap belt in a frontal collision.

“This system keeps you in place for the other air bags to work optimally,” he said.

Count on sophisticated accessories continuing to evolve in the years ahead, according to experts. Increasingly, advanced audio, convenience, comfort and safety features are seen as ways for manufacturers to differentiate their vehicles from others on the market.

“The cars today are so good,” Wiesenfelder said. “The differences lie in these kinds of details.”

Jeffrey Steele is a freelance writer based in Chicago.

Top Left Photo: Knee air bags for the front-seat occupants of cars have been introduced in some new luxury vehicles, including the BMW 7 Series, above, and two Lexus models.

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