Technology for all

Automotive industry executives expect high-end technologies, once considered only for inclusion in luxury cars, to increasingly make their way into entry- and mid-level vehicles in the very near future.

Engineering marvels most likely to make significant inroads on 2007 entry- and mid-level vehicles are the same technologies that debuted on luxury cars a few years ago. That statement is hardly a new revelation, but product development experts point out that even though entry- and mid-level vehicles generally are not the first application stop for a premiering innovation or entertainment- and safety-related technologies, they are fast becoming staples across vehicle segments as automakers and suppliers look for ways to please the masses.

As an example, electronic stability control (ESC) “is a technology that lends itself to the full spectrum of vehicles,” said Bill Kozyra, President and CEO of Continental Teves North America. “And, it has finally become very affordable at the retail level. We have retail prices for this technology as low as $280, so it now can be considered when being compared to other options on the vehicle.”