Beyond Bells and Whistles

But predicting the evolutionary curve of technology is a tricky business. And though our skies are devoid of flying Bentleys, there are some truly amazing things happening in the luxury segment. And it’s all here and now — with some truly sci-fi stuff right around the corner. 

Consider that Nevada recently authorized the use of autonomous vehicles. We’re talking cars that drive themselves with satellite navigation, road sensors and systems that interact with other cars. 

 “Autonomous driving technology already exists. It’s just a matter of equipping the infrastructure with the sensors that will let cars ‘talk’ to each other and their environment,” said Brendan Flynn, director of communications for the recent 2011 L.A. Auto Show, a showcase for state-of-the-art auto tech. “These sensors are actually already in place in parking structures at Century City and Santa Monica malls.” 

It’s a perfect fit for Volkswagen, which claims to have perfected a system that allows a car to drop off passengers, park itself and come pick everyone up when it’s time to go home. 

The laptop of luxury

The new generation of auto tech might have seemed impossibly futuristic just a decade ago. Voice-command systems now actually understand what you’re trying to say, while voice texting keeps your eyes squarely on the road. Cloud computing connects a car to a universe of apps and music options. 

Perhaps the boldest high-tech statement of all, Bentley’s Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept offers all of the above and more in a cockpit of sumptuous comfort catering to every business and entertainment need for today’s executive — or secret agent. Two iPad workstations and a large drop-down LED screen allow you access to anything from Netflix to secure databases.

Smart and sophisticated

Intelligent safety systems, introduced in luxury brands about a decade ago, have evolved with some amazingly intuitive technology. 

New for 2012, Volvo’s XC70 off-road wagon comes standard with a City Safety system, which automatically applies the brakes to avoid collisions at less than 19 mph. And an optional system detects pedestrians when the driver doesn’t and applies the brakes in time.

Mercedes-Benz’s Attention Assist actually memorizes and stores your driving profile — all manner of behavior from typical speed to acceleration habits — and analyzes the data to recognize atypical patterns that raise red flags. Whether a driver is dozing off or just being careless, Attention Assist lets them know by sounding alarms and flashing alerts.

Finding the way

Today’s navigation systems do far more than just point the way. Increasingly personalized location-based alerts, concierge services and customized map searches are the new big things. BMW’s ConnectedDrive platform recognizes a vehicle’s location and automatically gives results for pre-defined categories — hotels, restaurants, gas stations or whatever else you’re into. 

Mercedes-Benz’s mbrace system has a clever destination-planning database along with a companion app that lets owners send addresses and points of interest from their smartphones directly to the car. 

Cadillac’s buzzworthy CUE (Cadillac User Experience) system, available on the new XTS and ATS, offers iPod integration, app capability and Bluetooth for communications and music streaming. And it’s operated by the latest touchscreen tools (familiar to anyone with a smartphone) such as swipe, tap and scroll. 

And more is on the way. A smartphone app from Viper allows you to remote-start your car, unlock your doors or receive a security alert anywhere in the world if the vehicle’s alarm is triggered — provided you’ve got a Viper security system installed. Viper also offers a SmartStartGPS system, which allows users to monitor how fast and where their car is being driven. 

“One of the biggest developments in auto technology is integration of systems with cloud platforms, tablets and smartphones,” Flynn said. “It opens up amazing possibilities and it’ll be commonplace in vehicles before long.”