19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012Navigation SystemToyota was the first car manufacturer to install a newly developed navigation system featuring voice announcements on the Toyota Celsior in Japan in August 1992.The voice navigation system enabled accurate point-to-point navigation anywhere in Japan.Read MoreIn the early 90s BMW began to map Germany’s road network and by 1994 the first factory-fitted navigation system rolled off the BMW production line in Germany. Read MoreIn 1995 Mercedes-Benz and Bosch introduced a navigation system called Auto-Pilot-System(APS) for the S-Class.A computervoice and arrows on a 7,5 cm display informed the driver about the directions.Read MoreVW launched a navigationsystem in its 1996 Passat.This made VW the first carmanufacturer in Germany tooffer a high-class navigationsystem in a mid-range car.The Ford Navigation System(FNS) was developed by Ford and Bosch in 1996.Vocal and visual instructions showed the driver the way to his pre-selected desination. Read MoreFor its 2000 models Audi launched a satelite-based navigation system.It had audio and visualdirection prompts, displayedon a trip computer.Lane Keeping AssistanceIn 2002 Toyota introduced its Lane Monitoring System on models sold in Japan. The systemwarned the driver if the vehicle appearsto be drifting out of its lane.In 2004 Toyota added a Lane Keeping Assistfeature, which applies a counter-steering force to keep the vehicle in its lane. Read MoreFords Lane Departure Warningsystem was developed in 2004.The system evaluates the vehicles position by a camera system and provides a visual, audible and/or haptic (vibrating) warning to the driver if the vehicle departs fromits lane unintendedly.Read MoreIn 2007 Audi began offering the Audi Lane Assist system on the Audi Q7. It uses sensors and video technol-ogy to detect when a driver is outside of traffic lanes and sendsa warning via a vibrating steering wheel.Read MoreBMW introduced its Lane Departue Warning system on the 2008 5- and 6-Series. The system employs a camera that looks at the lines on the road ahead of it and a vibrating steering wheel warns the driver of unin-tended departures.Read MoreIn 2008 VW introduced its Lane-Assistlane-keeping system with the new 2008 Passat CC. The system automatically countersteers as soon as the vehicle leaves its lane unintentionally but does not intervene if the turn signal was activated before.Read MoreIn 2009 Mercedes-Benz began offer-ing a Lane Keeping Assist function on its new E-Class. Similar to the other systems, it warns the driver with a steering-wheel vibra-tion when the vehicle appears to be unintendedly beginning to leave its lane.Read MoreInternet ConnectionThe Japanese have had in-car connecitivity since Toyota rolled out its Monet Net internet service in 1997.In 2002 Toyota launched its second-generation car internet network G-Book, that offered a wide range of interactive services.Read MoreMercedes-Benz was the first automaker to debut an „Internet on Wheels“ research car in 1997. The front and back seats used internet-based services on multi-media screens.Read MoreVW presented its first in-car internet connection on the m-Commerce-Day in Ham-burg in 2000. The car was connected with the internet by UMTS.In 2001 BMW went online with the first internet-based automobile portal iDrive, available in the 7-Series. iDrive offered onboard internet access with a BMW portal thtat offered a limited range of internet Read MoreAudi presented their Infotainment-System Multi Media Interface (MMI) in 2001. The system uses touch, sight and sound and is connected to the internet. Upgraded versions of MMI are still used in present Audi models.Read MoreAs the latest automakers to bring the internet into the car, Ford introduced its new Ford SYNCsystem, that can incorporate in-car WiFi, in 2010. Read MoreAutomatic ParkingA commercial version of automatic parallel park-ing was introduced in the Toyota Prius in 2003.By 2004 it was available to drivers in Japan.Electronic sensors judge the cars position andso allow it to avoid obstacles while parking.Read MoreIn 2006 BMW demoed its self-parking Remote ParkAssist system in the BMW 730i. The car parked itself by a keychain remote.Read MoreIn 2007 the VW Touran debuted withthe automatic parking system ParkAssist which by June 2009 was alsooffered on other VW models.Read MoreThe 2008 Audi A3 was thefirst of Audis models that wasavailable with the automaticParallel Park Assis system.Read MoreIn 2009 Ford launched its new ultrasonicparallel parking system Active Park Assistin the Lincoln MKS an MKT.The system was said to be available inthe entire Ford lineup by 2012Read MoreMercedes-Benz’s automatic parallelparking system Active Park Assistand Parktronic was launched on the2009 A and B-Class modelsRead MoreEmergency Brake AssistMercedes Benz's Pre-Safe systemwas unveiled in the fall of 2002 atthe Paris Motor Show on the 2003S-Class.Pre-Safe initiates automatic partialbraking when an accident appearsimminent.Read MoreIn August 2003 Toyota launched its Pre-Collision System (PCS), the first production forward warning collision system, on the Toyota Celsior.Read MoreFord integrated its forward collisionwarning system, Forward Alert (FA),on the Ford S-Max and Ford Galaxyin 2006.In 2007 BMW extended its ActiveCruise Control (ACC) system by anew Adaptive Brake Assistant,assisting the driver in emergencies.Read MoreIn 2008 Audi gave its AdaptiveCruise Control (ACC) sensor anadditional safety function - AudiBraking Guard.Read MoreVW extended its Adaptive CruiseControl (ACC) system by a forwardcollision warning system namedFront Assist, that premiered in theVW Phaeton in 2008.Read MoreBrake Assist SystemIn December 1996 BAS premieredto the world on the Mercedes-BenzS-Class and SL-Class.BAS interprets the driver's brakingbehavior and initiates the full brakingeffect in an emergency situation.Read MoreIn May 1997 Toyota launched the BAS on the Toyota Raum.Read MoreIn 2000 the BAS became standardequipment on all of Audis models.Read MoreIn 2000 BMW launched the Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) as standard equipment on all of its 5-Series cars.Read More>
In 2001 Ford made theBAS standard equipmenton all of its models.VW launched the Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) on its 2001 Polo IV.Parking AssistanceIn 1992 the BMW 7 Series featureda Park Distance Control (PDC).The system employed ultrasonicsensors to determine distanceswhen parking, and enabled precisemanoeuvring. Audio signals informthe driver about obstacles.Read MoreIn 1993 a new parking assistantsystem, developed by Bosch,premiered on the Ford Scorpio.Read MoreMercedes-Benz’s Parktronicsystem was available on the1997 S-Class cars and lateralso became available on the1998 E-Class models.Read MoreIn 1999 Audi released its AcousticParking System (APS) and in 2000additionally made it available forthe front end of the car.Read MoreIn 1999 Toyota brought itsIntelligent Parking Assist System(IPS) to Europe in the ToyotaCorolla Verso.Read More