Cruise on and get a massage too

BMW 750Li

THE netbook-sized 10.2-inch LED screen in the BMW 750Li's iDrive offers image resolution of 1,280x480.

You can split the screen in two - one side to display the map and the other for your favourite radio stations.

The onboard computer also comes with an 80GB hard disk to store music files, navigation maps and the vehicle's user manual.

The 750Li comes with side- and rear-view cameras that help you look out for blind spots and obstructions.

The built-in screen also doubles as a TV and DVD player. For safety reasons, this function works only when the car is stationary.

I have no complaints where look and feel is concerned. Designers have neatly integrated the screen with the interior design of the car. If I had to gripe, it would be the position of the control panel.

While the control panel is located in between the driver's and the passenger's seat, it sits closer to the passenger side.

This minor point aside, iDrive is easy to use and it does not take long for me to get used to the finer points of the system, like scrolling through the map to look for a street or placing my favourite radio station on the No. 1 slot in the radio's memory function.

Like Audi's MMI, navigating through the numerous menus is by turning a central dial in combination with side buttons on the control panel.

The process is simple - you turn the dial to select a feature on the menu and then push the centre button to select.

Hooking up my HP Ipaq to the car's built-in handsfree set is also painless. Once activated, the system launches a set-up wizard to guide me through the connection process.

After being paired, the system can read the contact list stored in my mobile phone.

I was particularly impressed with the car's Active Cruise Control. You set a desired speed and remove your feet from the accelerator. The system automatically maintains this set speed but when it detects an obstruction like a car in front, the car will automatically slow down.

Another neat feature is the Lane Deviation Warning. As soon as you start straying into another lane or change lanes without signalling, the steering wheel will vibrate.

And if all the above do little to impress you, how about getting a back massage while you drive?

The 750Li driver's seat also comes with a massage function that gently vibrates your bum and back while you drive.

Drowsy? You'll get an alert

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe

THE main star of Mercedes-Benz's multimedia system is the Cockpit Management and Navigation device (Comand).

This system controls all the infotainment functions of the car like the radio, DVD, CD changer and telephone. Although the test car did not come with a navigation system, the upgrade will soon be made available to customers here.

At the centre of the dashboard is a 7-inch wide screen colour display and you control the menus on screen by turning a large knob dial located next to the driver's seat.

Instead of keeping the main controller close to the other functions buttons, Mercedes-Benz engineers decided to separate them. There must have been a logical reason to do so, but personally I prefer the all-in-one location controller buttons in the Audi and the BMW.

For drivers who find difficulty in reverse parking, the rear-view camera feature truly helps.

Apart from live images covering the area immediately to the rear of the car, there are also sensors that beep if you get too close to a wall or another car while parking.

The E-Class Coupe also comes with Bluetooth hands-free system for the telephone. It took me a couple of tries to get the process right but I did get to connect my HP Ipaq to the system.

Apart from the multimedia system, there are about a dozen other assistance features that make this car a safer ride.

Studies have shown that drowsiness is one of the most common causes of accidents on the road. To minimise accidents due to sleepy drivers, Mercedes experts have developed the Attention Assist system that comes standard with the new E-Class Coupe.

The system detects erratic steering behaviour and sends an alert to advise the driver to take a break. If you frequently travel long distances, this is one must-have feature.

Another feature that helps prevent or at least minimise collision is the Distronic Plus system. Making use of radar sensors, the system monitors the road ahead and warns the driver if there is a risk of collision.

Equally impressive is the Pre-Safe Brake. The system automatically brakes the car if there is imminent danger of a collision and the driver does not react to earlier warnings.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

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