IN THE NEXT 4O YEARS
Having recently obtained my driver’s license, I have learned that being a new driver in the Philippines constitutes many things. Having to navigate through daily congestion, wild unpredictability, and rules that don’t seem to exist in other countries enabled me to start thinking about the features from the cars of today I would want to see become standard in the cars of tomorrow.
360* Topdown Camera
Anyone who learned to reverse by awkwardly twisting over the back seats knows why the backup camera feels like such a godsend. Some newer car models come standard with a 360* topdown camera that shows your car placed in the middle of wherever you are, creating the illusion of a camera hovering directly above the scene and allowing you to park without incident.
Blind Spot Turn Signal Camera
Having had the opportunity to experience some of the newer Hyundai, Kia, and Tesla models, the blind spot turn signal camera has proven to be an invaluable ally in navigating Manila traffic. Constantly having to look for motorcycles that seemingly appear out of nowhere becomes a non-issue when a live image of your blind spot appears right in your gauge cluster or infotainment screen.
FSD
Although slightly controversial and with admitted shortcomings, the concept of full self driving has been envisioned for decades now. It holds enormous potential within the Philippines, particularly in instances that might require you to drive long, repetitive distances or to sit in bumper to bumper traffic after a long day at work.
Massage & Ventilated Seats
Long drives and all-day traffic are part of the Filipino driving experience. Massage or ventilated seats, though they might seem like gimmicks, actually make a huge difference. Once you’ve experienced the relief they provide over hours on the road, it’s hard to go back. Some cars even offer multi-zone massage features that make you almost grateful for a traffic jam.
Smart and Safe infotainment system
Today’s cars rely heavily on their infotainment systems, and as a new driver, I really value setups that respond like a smartphone but still keep important controls on actual buttons instead of burying everything in a screen. Having physical buttons means I’m not fumbling through menus while driving. It makes the whole experience feel smoother and much safer.
AR navigation
More technologically advanced models use augmented reality (AR) in their navigation, which projects directions onto the road ahead from the driver’s point of view. This is an extremely useful safety feature that ensures drivers don’t have to look away from the road when driving, and makes things like haphazard road markings more manageable.
