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The car of the future is already here. Although we tend to view futuristic cars as those that fly and hover, cars that have been only dreamed of ten years ago are now a reality. Now you can watch movies, play games and surf the internet inside a moving vehicle. These features are now as common as windshield wipers and rear view mirrors.

What is part of the so-called *concept* cars before, can now be found in the local car showroom and is waiting for your indulgence. Here are some of them:

1. Global Positioning System.

Before, you can only find GPS on cars meant for James Bond and for high-profile personalities. Now, GPS is a common feature in every car. There are many handheld equipments as well as readily-installed GPS systems on automobiles available on the market today.

Driving can be very convenient with a GPS onboard. Navigation also relies heavily on this gadget allowing for maps and directions to be updated to the system.

More importantly, GPS can be used to locate the vehicle if it is stolen. Police officers also rely on GPS to chase down criminals in real time. Kidnapping statistics have lowered as a result of the GPS systems in automobiles. They can be activated through a centralized or paid monitoring system.

2. Computerized Vehicle Maintenance Systems.

Manufacturers have installed computerized systems in their vehicles to check for the condition of the vehicle without having to go to a garage for a regular check-up. This ingenious method makes use of the computer system in the automobile. For example, General Motors OnStar system allows vehicle owners to do a vehicle *on-the-spot diagnostic* to know details with regards to gasoline consumption, mileage, oil level, etc.

Comfort is also a primary consideration for the design of the computer system onboard the vehicle. They are called computer climate control. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, for instance, uses infrared sensors that will scan the temperature of the vehicle and will create for you the right mix of hot and cold air for the total comfort of the driver and its passengers. Climate controls are also now available on the Mercedes Benz S-Class series as well as the Jaguar's S-Type models.

3. Advanced Car Safety Features.

Cars today now come out with advanced anti-lock brake systems that allows for control of the wheel even under heavy braking. This prevents the vehicle from tipping over since the car will not skid even while the driver's foot is heavy on the brake pedal. Another important safety feature is the use of airbags which, over the years have drastically improved the sensors and activation speed, thus preventing serious injury to the passengers and driver during impact or collision.

A collision control system is another safety feature used by manufacturers like Mercedes Benz. Under heavy fog or rain, the car can send out radar beams to detect another car or object within a certain distance in front of the car and automatically adjusts the speed of the vehicle.

The General Motors OnStar system have emergency signal that will automatically transmit to a monitoring center in the event that the vehicle's airbags deploy. A call will then made to the vehicle's voice-activated communication system and inquire if the deployment is accidental and if it is not, a medical team will be dispatched to the site.