FIVE INNOVATIONS THAT MADE DRIVING BETTER AND MORE FUN IN THE 2010S | MCLARTY DANIEL BUICK GMC OF BENTONVILLE

It’s 2020, and the future is now at McLarty Daniel Buick GMC, thanks to Buick and GMC vehicles with features that would have seemed the stuff of science fiction only a few years ago. As we say goodbye to the 2010s, we thought we’d take a look back at some of the technologies and innovations that really came into their own and saw widespread acceptance in the past decade. While not all of them were first introduced in the 2010s, most of the following items found their way into even many lower-priced vehicles over the past ten years, helping make driving easier, safer, more efficient and more fun.

We can’t wait to see what the next decade of innovation will bring to the vehicles we drive everyday. Want to get behind the wheel of the vehicles of the future you can drive right now? Stop in at…

McLarty Daniel Buick GMC, or check out our full selection of 2020 Buick and GMC vehicles online right now.

In-Dash Touchscreens: Once exclusively found in high-end luxury cars, the 2010s saw the widespread use of in-dash, high-definition touchscreens. These days, it’s rare to find a new vehicle without one. Much more than just another gadget, automotive touchscreens are a truly great innovation in motoring, with Buick and GMC vehicle screens giving access to everything from smartphone integration to navigation to fuel purchases without leaving the driver’s seat.

Hybrid and All-Electric Vehicles: There have been electric vehicles since literally the earliest days of motoring over 100 years ago, but hybrid and electric vehicles really came into their own in the 2010s as drivers concerned about the future of the planet (and looking to save money in an age where fuel costs may quickly spike) turned to gas-electric hybrids and full-electric vehicles as a realistic alternative to gasoline- and diesel-powered cars. Better battery technology, increased range and a growing network of fast recharging stations make an all-electric future of motoring look more likely every day.

Modern Turbocharging: Another old technology that really found its way to the mainstream in the 2010s, turbocharging was once confined to high-torque diesels and a handful of temperamental, ultra-high-performance gasoline racers. With manufacturers looking to squeeze more power from smaller displacement engines and less fuel, however, modern turbocharging really came into its own in the 2010s, helping smaller, fuel-efficient engines in everyday vehicles produce big power. Once rare, turbocharged engines can now be found in even reasonably-priced subcompact vehicles like the 2020 Buick Encore.

The Return of the Muscle Car: If you’ve a “gearhead,” chances are you’ve daydreamed about time-traveling back to the Golden Age of American muscle cars in the late 1960s, when anybody with a steady job could drop a few thousand bucks and go home with a fire-breathing muscle car. Horsepower fans got a second shot at factory street machine glory in the 2010s, however, as the muscle cars came roaring back better than ever. Thanks to modern computer-assisted engine design and engineering techniques, today’s muscle cars feature more speed and muscle than ever before, with today’s top-shelf performance cars producing more than 700 horsepower straight from the factory while using a lot less fuel, putting even the hottest 1960s muscle cars to shame.

“Smart” Cruise Control and Driver-Assistance Features: Once a hallmark of any futuristic movie worth its salt, cars that drive themselves without steering or braking input from a human driver are getting closer every day, and the 2010s saw the widespread introduction of several steps on the way to that goal, including features like lane-keeping assist, “smart” cruise control that can maintain a set distance between traffic ahead and even manage stop-and-go traffic if necessary, emergency automatic braking that can sense obstacles ahead and brake to lessen or avoid impacts, and even hands-free interstate driving in some models.

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