Drive, She Said

Category: Feature Friday

Feature Friday: Wireless Charging

Before I got my new iPhone 11, I was jealous of people who were able to “cut the cord” for their phones in test cars and use the wireless charging feature. My phone’s battery was perpetually dead, and if I forgot my charging cable, I may as well just turn my phone off because it... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
June 26, 2020 at 5:36 pm

• 2 comments

Feature Friday: Near-Field Communication Technology

On some of the next-gen vehicles, you might see badging on the dash or center console that simply says “NFC,” which stands for near-field communication. This is a fancy way of saying: short-range wireless connectivity. But what does it do? It depends on the vehicle. The most common use of NFC technology is to pair... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
June 19, 2020 at 3:55 pm

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Feature Friday: Seat Extender

In case you missed it: I’m short. So, I’ve never experienced a lack of support underneath my knees while driving. But if you’re taller than, well, me you probably know this is a thing. What I have experienced is seat bottoms that are too long. Then I’m stuck feeling like Edith Ann in a too-big... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
June 12, 2020 at 5:59 pm

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Feature Friday: Auto Stop/Start Engine

If you haven’t bought a car in the last few years, you might not be familiar with the blight called auto stop/start popping up in most cars today. So, it’s worth a quick explanation because if you’re in the market for a new car soon, you could be in for a rude awakening if you don’t... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
May 8, 2020 at 4:05 pm

• 4 comments

Feature Friday: Park Assist

Because of living in Chicago, I’ve become a master parallel parker. I’m also damn good at backing into a garage or parking space. But not everyone is. For example, whenever my sister from Indy comes to visit, she always hands me her keys so I can park her car. For whatever reason, she just can’t do... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
May 1, 2020 at 4:16 pm

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Feature Friday: Adaptive Cruise Control

Adaptive cruise control is another one of those wily features that often gets called different things depending on the automaker. I’ve heard it called dynamic cruise control, radar cruise control and intelligent cruise control — among other things. In fact, if there’s anything in front of “cruise control,” it’s likely some variation of adaptive cruise. In... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
April 24, 2020 at 6:04 pm

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Feature Friday: Track pads and touch controllers

If you ever read car reviews, you’ve probably come across some cranky journalist (including myself) who’s complained about being forced to use a rotary dial or touch-pad thingy instead of being able to touch the display screen on the center stack. The most recent examples of pads and controllers we’ve encountered have been in the... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
April 10, 2020 at 3:40 pm

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Feature Friday: Winter Tires

Yeah, I know it’s technically spring. And, yes, I also know it’s in the 60s today in Chicago. But I’d be surprised if we didn’t get one more bout of snow before Mother’s Day. Plus, it’s never to early to plan ahead for next year’s winter nip. So, I’m going to plant a springtime seed in your head: If... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
April 3, 2020 at 2:46 pm

• 2 comments

Feature Friday: The Rear Camera Mirror

Anyone who has ever driven a vehicle with tall passengers or a cargo-laden trunk knows the frustration of not being able to see out your rearview mirror. It can be scary backing out of parking space — even with the back-up camera — and trying to see what’s behind you so you can change lanes... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
March 6, 2020 at 4:48 pm

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Feature Friday: Lane Keep Assist

If you haven’t bought a car for a while, some of the more new-fangled technology and “autonomous” assist features may be new to you. These are features that help drivers do a better job of driving, without actually doing the driving. Lane Keep Assist (LKA) may go by a few different names (Lane Trace Assist, for example), and some... Read more »

By Jill Ciminillo,
February 28, 2020 at 12:00 pm

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