1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Navigation System Toyota 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 More In 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 More In 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 More VW launched a navigation system in its 1996 Passat. This made VW the first car manufacturer in Germany to offer a high-class navigation system 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 More For its 2000 models Audi launched a satelite-based navigation system. It had audio and visual direction prompts, displayed on a trip computer. Lane Keeping Assistance In 2002 Toyota introduced its Lane Monitoring System on models sold in Japan. The system warned the driver if the vehicle appears to be drifting out of its lane. In 2004 Toyota added a Lane Keeping Assist feature, which applies a counter-steering force to keep the vehicle in its lane. Read More Fords Lane Departure Warning system 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 from its lane unintendedly. Read More In 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 sends a warning via a vibrating steering wheel. Read More BMW 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 More In 2008 VW introduced its Lane-Assist lane-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 More In 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 More Internet Connection The 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 More Mercedes-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 More VW 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 More Audi 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 More As the latest automakers to bring the internet into the car, Ford introduced its new Ford SYNC system, that can incorporate in- car WiFi, in 2010. Read More Automatic Parking A 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 and so allow it to avoid obstacles while parking. Read More In 2006 BMW demoed its self-parking Remote Park Assist system in the BMW 730i. The car parked itself by a keychain remote. Read More In 2007 the VW Touran debuted with the automatic parking system Park Assist which by June 2009 was also offered on other VW models. Read More The 2008 Audi A3 was the first of Audis models that was available with the automatic Parallel Park Assis system. Read More In 2009 Ford launched its new ultrasonic parallel parking system Active Park Assist in the Lincoln MKS an MKT. The system was said to be available in the entire Ford lineup by 2012 Read More Mercedes-Benz’s automatic parallel parking system Active Park Assist and Parktronic was launched on the 2009 A and B-Class models Read More Emergency Brake Assist Mercedes Benz's Pre-Safe system was unveiled in the fall of 2002 at the Paris Motor Show on the 2003 S-Class. Pre-Safe initiates automatic partial braking when an accident appears imminent. Read More In August 2003 Toyota launched its Pre-Collision System (PCS), the first production forward warning collision system, on the Toyota Celsior. Read More Ford integrated its forward collision warning system, Forward Alert (FA), on the Ford S-Max and Ford Galaxy in 2006. In 2007 BMW extended its Active Cruise Control (ACC) system by a new Adaptive Brake Assistant, assisting the driver in emergencies. Read More In 2008 Audi gave its Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) sensor an additional safety function - Audi Braking Guard. Read More VW extended its Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system by a forward collision warning system named Front Assist, that premiered in the VW Phaeton in 2008. Read More Brake Assist System In December 1996 BAS premiered to the world on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and SL-Class. BAS interprets the driver's braking behavior and initiates the full braking effect in an emergency situation. Read More In May 1997 Toyota launched the BAS on the Toyota Raum. Read More In 2000 the BAS became standard equipment on all of Audis models. Read More In 2000 BMW launched the Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) as standard equipment on all of its 5-Series cars. Read More > In 2001 Ford made the BAS standard equipment on all of its models. VW launched the Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) on its 2001 Polo IV. Parking Assistance In 1992 the BMW 7 Series featured a Park Distance Control (PDC). The system employed ultrasonic sensors to determine distances when parking, and enabled precise manoeuvring. Audio signals inform the driver about obstacles. Read More In 1993 a new parking assistant system, developed by Bosch, premiered on the Ford Scorpio. Read More Mercedes-Benz’s Parktronic system was available on the 1997 S-Class cars and later also became available on the 1998 E-Class models. Read More In 1999 Audi released its Acoustic Parking System (APS) and in 2000 additionally made it available for the front end of the car. Read More In 1999 Toyota brought its Intelligent Parking Assist System (IPS) to Europe in the Toyota Corolla Verso. Read More