It is said that if you wanted to drive around the coastline of Australia following Highway 1, it would take you 14 days! Because of the size of this country, heading off on a road-trip during the Christmas holidays can mean many hours spent on the road. As someone who wants to upgrade to a new family car, such as a Rebel Ford, before the holidays this year, there are a number of features starting to appear in new cars that are bound to excite you. Consider these four new car features before you head down to the dealership to discuss your new vehicle.

Expanded Handsfree Features

The Western Australia Road Safety Commission states that 15%-20% of driver distractions happen because they are trying to interact with technology in their car. You already know that when driving you need to avoid using distractions such as your cell phone. But, what about changing the radio station? Or making adjustments to the climate control? It only takes a few seconds of taking your eyes off the road to look back up and see you're about to hit a kangaroo.

Handsfree features in new vehicles have expanded past the simple interaction with your cell phone so you can speak hands-free. You can now purchase vehicles that include features like voice-activated climate control and radio. You can even sync some cell phones with the car and use it for more than just hands-free phone conversations. These features are perfect for long-distance drivers who need to remain focussed on the road in front of them. Emergency roadside assistance takes a long time to reach an accident site when you're out the back of nowhere.

Collision Reduction Technology

Each year, new vehicles come out with advanced features which are designed to reduce the chance of a collision. While you are driving through the outback, seeing other cars is rare. But, around dusk or dawn you could come into sudden contact with a kangaroo. In Victoria, for example, it is reported that 80% of car collisions with an animal involve a kangaroo. These creatures are very unpredictable when on the side of the road, and will do a lot of car damage if they jump straight out in front of you.

Whether you want to avoid run-ins with oncoming B-trains or prangs with a kangaroo, consider these new-age collision reduction devices when looking for your new car:

• Blind-spot assistance which lets you know the position of every car around you so you don't unexpectedly find out someone is already in your lane behind you when you start to move over.
• Lane guidance systems make sure you are made aware if you are drifting out of your lane. This is particularly important for fatigued long-distance drivers who are finding it difficult to fully concentrate on what is going on around them. Lane guidance systems incorporate both steering wheel vibration and steering wheel torque to guide the car back to where it should be.
• Collision detection. Some vehicles have detectors mounted on the front of the car to warn you of obstacles ahead. While these are designed more for inner city driving so you will notice traffic at a standstill ahead, these detectors may also be able to give you a few seconds warning kangaroos are gathered on the road ahead.

 When heading out on the open road with the family over the Christmas holiday, you owe it to them and yourself to have a car that is reliable and safe. When you purchase a car packing the latest in technology, you can be confident you are going to enjoy your trip around the great land of Oz.