Luxury cars are the flagbearers of the latest gadgets and safety devices.

Technology is perhaps the biggest hook that luxury car makers use to lure more buyers. Cars at the high end of the market bristle with the latest technological advances and, for those of us with more modest budgets, the good news is that within a few years the high-tech gear trickles down to less expensive models.

Today’s prestige cars lead the way with brilliant new devices that make driving both safer and more enjoyable.

Adaptive cruise control adjusts your speed to ensure the gap to the vehicle in front is always maintained and helps keep a safe distance to the vehicle in front. The new collision warning system automatically brakes the car if there is a risk of a crash with another vehicle. The system alerts the driver and prepares the emergency braking system.

If the driver doesn’t respond, the brakes are applied automatically.

Lane departure warning systems alert the driver if the car crosses a road marking without the indicators being activated.

Volvo has developed a driver-alert system which it says is “a world first in passenger cars”. It is designed to alert drivers when their concentration wavers. The Swedish maker says its Intelligent Driver Information System was inspired by technology used in fighter aircraft.

The system constantly analyses the driving conditions and, if necessary, momentarily delays some information from the car’s onboard systems, such as the integrated phone. As soon as things calm down, the call or relevant warning is then relayed to the driver.

Mercedes-Benz and Lexus both have pre-collision safety systems. The Mercedes version detects a collision before it occurs and prepares the occupants and the car: seatbelts are tightened, the seats moved to a favourable crash position and the sunroof closes automatically. The Lexus retracts the front seatbelts and increases braking force to help reduce speed.

Flashing brake lights are appearing on more and more new cars. During emergency braking, the car’s brake lights flash. Research by Mercedes-Benz engineers shows driver reaction times are shortened by 0.2 seconds if a flashing red warning signal is given instead of a conventional brake light during emergency braking. Volvo’s flashing brake system operates at speeds above 60kmh and senses the difference between normal and “panic” braking. If it is a panic situation, all brake lights will flash five times a second. Lexus’s tail lamps use light-emitting diodes, which come on faster than conventional lamps to alert following traffic sooner.