Which of these features does your car have? Match each to its Russian equivalent. Rank them in order of importance.

29 Read the paragraphs below and match them to the automobile features names and the pictures. Note! There is one extra picture and one title that you don’t need.

Digital rearview mirror

Haptic (= tactile) interface

Automatic start/stop

Advanced warning systems

Automatic braking

Back-up assist

a	/ b	c
d	e	f

5 CUTTING-EDGE FEATURES YOU DON’T WANT IN YOUR NEW CAR

James Derek Sapienza

cutting-edge современный

subj e ct, v подвергать

prevent предотвращать

outfit, v оборудовать

collision столкновение

warning предупреждение

latter последний (из двух)

annoying раздражающий

rotat ing вращающийся

adjust настроить(ся), перестроить(ся)

shift сдвиг,

execution исполнение

1. d Automatic start/ stop

In theory this is a pretty good idea: Turning off your car during prolonged traffic stops really eliminates unnecessary idling[1]. But when in stop and go traffic, or just cruising around downtown, this fuel saving switch can turn into Chinese water torture, as the vehicle starts and stops itself at a moment’s notice. Yes, it can make a difference at the pump, but we don’t like the idea of subjecting one’s starter and battery to unnecessary wear and tear dozens of times a day.

2.

In order to prevent accidents, many automakers have started outfitting their vehicles with forward collision warnings and automatic braking. While it is a great idea, the latter can be a potentially dangerous feature. Imagine the chaos that would follow when a plastic bag flies in front of you and triggers your car’s auto stop function while going 70 down the interstate, causing all four wheels to lock up.

3.

This is a feature that automakers are finally beginning to move away from. Infotainment screens that require touching a mouse pad or a trackball can be more annoying than useful, as they often end up causing more headaches than they’re worth. Overly sensitive and generally unintuitive, these exotic forms of navigation are further proof that a touch screen or rotating command knob is all that you really need these days.

4.

Cadillac debuted this tech a few years ago, and on the surface, it is another pretty good idea. With big crossover and SUV interiors creating a tunnel-like view in your rearview mirror, you can now get a high-definition live stream from your backup camera right into your mirror. But in reality, it’s difficult for your eyes to adjust to the perception shift, and that takes your eyes off the road for a few precious seconds, which is never a good thing. Unfortunately, this innovation is better in concept than execution.

5.

Most new cars are available with a number of electronic safety systems, and for the most part, they are great. You can get lane-departure warning, blind spot monitoring, back up assist; a whole host of things that tell you what’s happening 360 degrees around your car at all times. It’s all well and good, until you’re in a crowded parking lot or trying to parallel park on a city street. Having four different systems screaming at you every time you park is nerve-racking enough, trying to turn all these systems off while you do it is even worse.