Top 3 Semiautonomous Cars for the Non-Millionaire
The newest driver-assist technology is making vehicles safer and comfier—and not just for the rich….
2019 Tesla Model 3
Tesla has had its issues with Autopilot, most notably a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a man killed in a Model 3 crash this spring. Critics say the company and CEO Elon Musk have, by omission, allowed drivers to overestimate the system’s capability. But if you know its limits and keep your eyes on the road, the feature can make your daily commute less of a slog. An over-the-air update late last year enabled Navigate on Autopilot, which lets the car change lanes autonomously (with the driver’s OK) and pass the occasional slowpoke. Musk is unlikely to hit his early 2020 target for a “fully self-driving” car, but Autopilot should keep us happy until he does.
2019 Nissan Leaf
Nissan calls the all-electric Leaf its “tech flagship,” which means that, along with 226 miles of range between charges (up from 84 in the original 2011 model), the car comes with ProPilot Assist. Like Tesla’s Autopilot, it uses cameras and radar to pick out the vehicles in front and the lane lines on either side of you, turning highway cruising into a pedal- and (almost) steering-free experience. Also like on the Tesla, you’re meant to keep your hands on the wheel or very near it. If ProPilot thinks you’re slacking off, it admonishes you with a sharp beep and an alarming buzz in the steering wheel. It does this for good reason—like similar systems, ProPilot doesn’t react to stopped obstacles, so zoning out can be deadly.
2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
We wish the new RAV4 was fully electric, but if you’re OK with a hybrid, you can take advantage of Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0. The collision-detection system keeps watch not just for cars but also for pedestrians and (in daylight) cyclists, sounding an alert and braking if necessary. When it senses approaching vehicles, it dims the high beams; when it sees speed limits and stop signs, it displays them as icons on the dash. The RAV4’s marquee feature is Lane Tracing Assist, which automates the steering to keep the car between the lines and works with the adaptive cruise control to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.
Styling by Jesse Silver
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