Key Tech

Just like all systems in modern cars, key technology has come a long way. Keys have evolved for two main purposes, convenience and security.

Convenience - Keys allow us to access our vehicles when needed. From this standpoint they are convenient when you are trying to get inside your car, truck, etc. Many years ago, auto manufactures figured out that the easier they made it for owners to get access to their vehicles, the better off life would be. Cue the invention of keyless entry. It's no doubt that it's much easier to get in and out when you can unlock the doors from 30 feet away. Some companies have gotten even more clever with their remotes, adding different features. If you own a 2003 or newer Honda Accord or 2009 Honda Pilot, try unlocking your doors, then pushing and holding the unlock button a second time. You'll find all your windows roll down remotely to vent hot air from the inside of the vehicle.

Security - The second primary purpose of keys is to allow you and only you access to the vehicle. Modern keys have become harder to copy and take security much further than previous systems. You'll find microchips implanted in keys now that speak to an "immobilizer" before starting the car. If the car doesn't see the right chip code it will de-activate the ignition system preventing the car from starting. This way if someone does manage to copy a key, it still wont start your car.


So what if you need an additional or replacement key? With all this technology it's no longer possible to visit your local hardware store to have a key cut. A trip to your local dealer will be your only course of action. To program a new key you must bring ALL your keys with you or the car will not recognize the missing units when re-programed. The technician will have to cut a new key, then reprogram all the units into the cars system. The whole process can take up to an hour to complete. For more information, contact your dealers service department.

LATCH Child Seats

LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, and if you're a parent you've probably already heard of this system. Indeed, LATCH has been equipped on all vehicles since model year 2003, however the options for LATCH mountings vary from car to car and have expanded to offer more flexibility on newer vehicles. So what exactly is the point of LATCH systems? LATCH vehicles feature 3 "U" shaped anchors that you simply clip your child seat into and tighten the straps. LATCH was invented to make the process more simple and reduce the chance of an improperly installed car seat. Some great website to learn more about these important safety features are:

TheCarSeatLady.com

www.NHTSA.gov

If you have children in car seats, it's important to ask any sales consultant where the LATCH positions are for any vehicle you are considering. The 2009 Pilot for example, set the bar even higher by offering an unprecedented 4 locations to mount LATCH equipped seats, making it easier for parents to configure the vehicle for their individual needs and to no longer be slave to car seat positions.

2009 Honda Pilot LATCH positions

Active Noise Cancellation - ANC

This system uses two microphones in the the vehicle to pickup unwanted cabin sounds. These low frequencies are then amplified through the cars audio system and inverted to cancel out these unwanted sounds. This is similar to popular noise reducing headphones you see on airplanes and advertised on television. By overlapping a sound with its opposite wave, the energy from one waves peak is canceled out by the other waves valley. Even though there are now twice as many sounds happening around you, you don't hear either one.

Modern noise cancellation is typically only found on premium luxury cars however some companies like Honda now pair this technology with their Variable Cylinder Management. On cars equipped with VCM, Honda uses ANC to reduce engine harmonics caused in 3 cyliner mode. An added bonus is a quiet ride all around. ANC has been shown to reduce cabin noise by as much as -10db.

ANC is not without drawbacks though. Many have found when upgrading the stereo system they have had to disconnect the system to avoid unintended sounds. This is one of the reasons you see more and more manufacturers building new cars with hard mounted head units, to prevent the side effects of an aftermarket unit. As long as you don't plan on gutting the cars factory stereo for a huge boom box, you should find the current generation ANC to be a welcomed addition to your vehicle.

What is ABS, EBD, TCS, and VSA?

With the slew of technology available on modern automobiles, manufactures use a host of acronyms to simplify long technologically heavy names. Unfortunately, when a vehicle lists 15 items in a row, it's enough to make any one's head spin. Here are some of the more commonly heard items and why they are important....


ABS - Anti-lock Brake System
This system allows you to maintain control of the car while making a panic stop. It places sensors at the wheels and the moment a tire locks up and starts to slide it will reduce brake force maintaining maximum stopping power. Modern 4-channel ABS systems have become very advanced over their counterparts and allow the novice driver to make panic stops in the shortest possible distance. Should you realize that you cannot stop in time and you need to take evasive action, ABS systems maintain the ability to steer the car without taking your foot off the brake. As an added benefit, ABS system will keep the car from losing control when each side of the car is on different surfaces, for example, if you drop two tires off the road or hit a puddle along the curb. Without ABS, applying the brakes would cause a car to spin violently.

EBD - Electronic Brake Distribution
All cars have more braking power at the front wheels. This is why your front brakes are always bigger than the rear ones. When a manufacture sets the force for front and rear brakes they want to makes sure that there isn't too much force in the rear, or the car could spin out. With EBD, modern cars have the ability to send more braking force to the rear when appropriate, such as when a car is full and has more rear traction. Without EBD, cars are set up to be more stable when empty, which is less brake force than possible when weighted down. In short, EBD allows for the shortest possible stop in all load situations. A must have for the family car.

TCS - Traction Control System
A traction control system uses one or multiple sensors to determine if the drive wheels are slipping, and then reduces power to regain traction. This system is often found on sports cars with high horsepower motors.

VSA- Vehicle Stability Assist
Stability assist has many names depending on the manufacture. The advanced systems will utilize a sophisticated yaw sensor to detect when a vehicle is about to lose control, either by sliding off the road or spinning out. The system then applies braking force to one or two wheels to maintain control of the vehicle, pulling it out of the spin/slide. The NHTSA has shown that VSA can reduce the chance of a single car collision by 30%. This modern feature is found on more and more new cars, especially on larger mass vehicles more likely to lose control such as sedans, SUV's, and vans.

Tip-prone vehicles such as vans and SUVs receive and added benefit of VSA from the reduced chance for roll-over. By reducing the likely hood of spinning or fishtailing, these vehicles are far less likely to find themselves in a dangerous situation.