Taking advantage of an excellent exchange value, I recently decided to change my vehicle, which had only a few years of use, with a new model from the same manufacturer loaded with safety systems.

I was amazed at the amount of new technology in the car. Despite all the information I received from my dealer and the fact that I was already driving a recent vehicle from the brand, within the first few minutes behind the wheel I was amazed by the presence of new driver assistance technologies, safety systems and infotainment systems, in addition to those aimed at improving comfort, performance, and fuel economy.

Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to test drive dozens of vehicles and to adapt to their driving and their different controls without too many worries.

Read the owner’s manual

However, in 2022, it is more important than ever to read the vehicle owner’s manuals, regardless of the category. This is an important message to share with your customers who sometimes think they have a problem with their car. In the same vein, it would be appropriate to recommend that the buyer of a new car consult these manuals before taking possession of it, especially since they are very often accessible on the Internet.

Indeed, new generation vehicles include several safety or driving assistance systems that need to be activated, adjusted or programmed by the driver. In addition, many entry-level models are already equipped with assistance systems, the most popular of which are the stop-and-start system, rearview cameras, lane-keeping assistance and forward collision avoidance systems.

Multiplication of systems

Other systems are already present on the higher categories, including the one that impressed me the most: the occupant detection system, to avoid forgetting a child or a person sitting in the rear seats.

The trial and error is now over. Especially since assistance systems are often interrelated, i.e. turning some systems OFF or not activating them will interfere with other systems at the same time. Especially since to activate several of them, we have to decode the access by repeatedly manipulating certain buttons. Driving a vehicle properly and safely is always a must.

To conclude this article, I recommend that our garage owners discourage their customers who want to disable certain security systems simply because they find them irritating. These systems are there to save their lives and the lives of other road users.