Jargon Buster

An estate car has an extended boot area behind the rear seats with a boot-lid at the back of the car that opens in the same way as a hatchback car.

Anti-lock braking systems (known as ABS) automatically kick in when a car’s wheels start to slip while braking.

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is a form of cruise control that uses sensors at the front of a car to maintain a steady speed and a constant distance from the car in front, keeping pace with the traffic.

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) have been developed to automate many of a car’s safety systems, with the aim of reducing the chances of human error, which account for over 90% of all collisions on the road.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems use cameras and radar to help cars avoid crashes, by spotting dangerous situations early and warning the driver.

A blind spot warning system uses sensors to look for other vehicles around the car – which might be in a driver’s blind spot and not covered by one of the car’s mirrors.

Parking assist systems use cameras and sensors to help a driver park a car safely.

A traffic sign recognition (TSR) system uses the forward-facing camera fitted to a car to scan the roadside and ‘read’ traffic signs indicating the speed limit.

A rear parking camera is a wide-angle lens fitted to the rear of the car, which transmits a live image of the area directly behind the car when reverse gear is selected.

Pedestrian detection systems are one of the current generation of driver assistance systems that use radar and cameras to spot potential collisions.

Automatic transmission changes gears as the vehicle moves, without the driver having to do anything themselves.

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a type of automatic gearbox that can change seamlessly through a range of gears.

A dual-clutch transmission (DCT) is a type of gearbox that uses two separate clutches and sets of gears, with one set for odd gears and another for the even ones. 

Using paddleshift is a way that drivers of automatic cars can manually select gears using paddles placed behind the steering wheel.

A transmission is another name for a car’s gearbox.

A car’s air conditioning system works by removing warmth and moisture from the air that is already in the car, leaving behind the cool air.

Daytime running lights (DRLs) are designed to make your vehicle more visible in bright, daytime conditions, which helps improve road safety.

Xenon lights (also known as high-intensity discharge or HID) use higher-quality bulbs than the traditional halogen lights and emit a white light that’s more similar to daylight.

eCall automatically contacts an emergency call centre in the event of a serious road collision. It knows a crash has happened through impact sensors in the car and the deployment of airbags.

AdBlue is an additive for a car’s exhaust system that is automatically injected in small quantities into the exhaust system, where it breaks up harmful nitrogen oxide gas into harmless nitrogen and water.