Should I upgrade my car? Here’s what you need to know
Wondering whether it’s time to upgrade your car? Here’s what you need to know.
We are well into the twenty-first century now, and with a new decade, has come a new desire and need to upgrade all our technology to comply with a better, more efficient world.
As with smartphones, the car software also needs to be updated. However, it is important to choose well when to do it so as not to have problems. Carrying out software updates for the car, is an increasingly inevitable phenomenon – welcome to the modern day!
Upgrading vehicle software and Wi-Fi technology
In recent years, the mobile technology sector and the automotive industry are experiencing strong convergence. So much so that companies such as Google or Apple have developed their own Android or iOS systems to use in cars through their central console.
But, although wireless automatic updates are very common in mobiles, in the automotive industry it is a not so common phenomenon, with the exception of some manufacturers like Tesla. Some new cars already have everything you need, such as the All New Vauxhall Mokka, but if you are not buying a brand new car, then you will need to think outside of the box.
Some brands include a quick and convenient way to keep your vehicle up to date without having to take it to a dealer or connect it to a cable. So wirelessly through the Wi-Fi network or SIM card the vehicle, you can optimize the software, adding or improving existing functions. All this contributes to the safety of the vehicle and that it is better prepared.
When an update is available, a notice arrives on the car’s center screen. The user can choose to install it immediately or schedule it for later. Keep in mind that the time it takes to complete the installation can vary, and once it starts, you cannot drive the car or cancel the update.
Always choose to update whenever possible as this will ensure that all systems are working to their best capacity. Any new updates may also fix any minor errors that you may have previously had within the car.
Upgrading your sensors could also be of benefit. How many sensors does a modern car have? The most technological cars are equipped with numerous systems capable of detecting from traffic signs to the lines of the road or even the cars that we do not see.
These systems, for the most part, share hardware, such as the cameras located on the front of these vehicles or the radars housed around them. That is why with software updates its functions can be improved or even new ones added to make things even safer.
Traffic signs and GPS systems are usually updated with certain periodicity and therefore, a system that also has them updated in its database is very interesting, so that when certain years pass, it does not become obsolete.
There are manufacturers that focus not only on security, but also on infotainment, with new specific profiles for the bluetooth connection. You can connect up your phone or tablet and play movies.
There are even models that have an application store for these systems, which receive updates more frequently, these users also usually pay a subscription cost, so it is normal that they have the latest.
This can ensure you never hit traffic, keep your car under good maintenance and that the entertainment is top notch. It’s important to maintain this if you will ever want to sell your car.
Should I buy an electric car?
Electric vehicles are the future of the automotive industry. In fact, there are already many cars of this type that circulate in our cities and there has been a real boom in sales during 2020, with a growth of 81.3% compared to the previous year.
It is not surprising if we take into account its economic and environmental advantages, as well as increasingly developed auxiliary services (as in the insurance sector, where specific options for electric cars are already found).
If you still have doubts about it, today we tell you everything you need to know about this type of car. Electric cars are those that are powered by one or more electric motors and store electricity in batteries or fuel cells, although the latter method is the least used.
One of the main differences between electric cars and combustion engine cars is that they have neither a clutch nor a gearbox, although there is one model with a manual gearbox.
With regard to autonomy, pure electric cars travel between 450 and 500 kilometers without battery charging problems, compared to plug-in hybrids that are around 50 kilometers. The hybrid vehicle only reaches 5 kilometers of autonomous travel in electric mode. So you are really getting better value for money.
In any case, the batteries of the pure electric models and plug-in hybrids are charged from the electrical network and recharging is cheaper than filling the tank of a car with gasoline or diesel.
Insurance for my electric car?
There are already companies that offer specific insurance for electric cars; covering all the needs and guarantees that drivers of this type of vehicle need, in addition to including the coverages common to third parties or all risk.
Among the details of these ECO vehicle insurances are: roadside assistance to get you closer to the nearest recharging point or the fast charging service, so you can keep driving if you get stranded.
Finally, you have to bear in mind that the insurance policy for electric cars is usually similar to cars that run on petrol and not diesel, it can be even cheaper in fact. Therefore, together with the savings in taxes and fuel, it constitutes another of the many advantages to take into account that this type of vehicle offers.
So whether you’re upgrading your systems or upgrading your entire car, the benefits are many and they can ensure that you have smoother driving experience as well as a much more effective plan.
You should always seek to find the newest information regarding upgrades and ensure that you are always driving a safe and secure car at all times.
Photo by Michael Marais
