Cars have gotten so high-tech over the past decade. The infotainment screen used to be the most innovative development that could only be found on select vehicles, but now the infotainment screen is assumed to be a standard feature in almost every model and is merely a starting place for more advanced technological developments. Let’s compare the 2022 Chevy Malibu vs the 2022 Honda Accord to demonstrate this abundance of tech. Both are excellent sedans that showcase some of the best in-vehicle technology available at this point in time, and they both show how infotainment and safety technology have merged to make a very technology-oriented driving experience. So, let’s look at what’s going on in the technology department with these two sedans.
Infotainment Technology
We live in a highly-connected world, and vehicles have certainly caught onto the trend with all of the connectivity that is now available across the market. In developing in-vehicle technology, it is important to find a healthy balance; too little technology simply won’t keep up with the market, but too much technology can be distracting and even annoying. After all, part of the joy of driving is the opportunity to unplug for a while and encounter the real world. Well-balanced infotainment technology can assist in cultivating this experience by allowing you to worry less about checking your phone.
Now, for some people, it’s not as simple as just “don’t check your phone.” For those of you who have families, there are probably people (both young and old) in your life who may need you at a moment’s notice. So, what if the car could check your phone for you? Well, this is how both the Malibu and the Accord allow you to focus on the road, enjoy the drive, and stay connected all at the same time. How? By integrating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into the vehicle’s infotainment system. These two programs are essentially the same, but each is specific to your brand of smartphone. When hooked up to either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you’ll have access to your essential apps, including phone, messages, maps, and music. So, you’ll be able to receive message notifications, change the tunes, as well as make and receive phone calls all from your infotainment screen.
One of the big benefits of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is that they both allow you to utilize your preferred navigation application rather than simply use the car’s built-in system. Not that the car’s built-in navigation is not capable and up to the task, but it’s always beneficial to have options and use a system that you are familiar with. The ability to access Google Maps from the car is a huge asset, as the application is one of the best navigation technologies available thanks to its live updates and ease in re-routing.
When it comes to the screen itself, both the Malibu and the Accord provide 8-inch diagonal touchscreens. Both are very high resolution and provide aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly interfaces. Chevy’s screen, however, is easier to navigate, with a home screen that allows easier access to the programs you are most likely to utilize during your drive, including infotainment settings, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. On an even more practical level, the Accord’s infotainment center has more physical buttons outside of the touchscreen. For some people, this may be beneficial if you prefer real switches, buttons, and knobs; but if you’re looking for a true touchscreen, the Chevy keeps the vast majority of its controls as part of the touchscreen. One is not necessarily better than the other, but the Malibu’s infotainment center feels less cluttered and more efficient.
When it comes to facilitating an undistracted yet connected driving experience, having everything streamlined on one touchscreen without exterior distractions will likely pay off and be more appreciated as time goes on. The infotainment technology in both of these vehicles is certainly advanced, but Chevy tends to shine in the area of technology not only in terms of infotainment but also in terms of safety technology.
Safety Technology
There is an argument to be made that the first step in developing effective safety technology is developing effective infotainment technology. With programs like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, drivers can stay connected without having to use a device that will be a distraction and thus a compromise to personal safety, that of passengers, and that of other drivers; good connectivity technology allows you to access everything you need while keeping your focus on the road, and thus on the real world. So, you can unplug a little bit while still being connected. And you’ll be safer for it, too.
But that’s only the beginning. Regardless of how closely you are paying attention and no matter how carefully you are driving, there is always the other driver or the unexpected obstacle, and you want a vehicle that can react at a moment’s notice, even when you may not be able to. Thanks to all the technological developments that the past several years have brought, both the 2022 Malibu and the 2022 Accord have highly-capable built-in safety technologies that work overtime to prevent accidents from happening and prevent bad from becoming worse.
Chevy excels in the area of safety technology with its fantastic safety packages, and the Malibu is a prime beneficiary of these packages. With the available Chevy Safety Assist package, the Malibu is pre-programmed with Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Forward Collision Alert, and Intellibeam High Beam Assist. The braking technologies are the key features here. Forward Collision Alert and High Beam Assist are both helpful indeed, but the automatic braking is what makes the key difference at a crucial moment. The car is able to react even if you don’t have time to take action, thus significantly decreasing the likelihood of a collision.
The Malibu can take things further with available safety features like Automatic Parking Assist and Rear Park Assist. While parking lot collisions may not be as severe of a safety risk, a fender bender can result in a lot of hassle and unnecessary money spent, and parking assistance can cer
tainly keep you from spending unnecessary time and money. Plus, it makes your life way easier and helps you with tricky and annoying maneuvers! One more available technology that is particularly exciting is Adaptive Cruise Control. This relatively new technology is exciting for anybody who is a fan of standard cruise control because Adaptive Cruise Control does most of the driving for you (including steering), meaning all you have to do is stay awake (and alert, of course). When it comes to unplugging and experiencing the real world, Adaptive Cruise Control will help you take a load off and enjoy the ride.
The 2022 Accord offers some very similar safety features (including Adaptive Cruise Control), though not quite as many. One exciting and unique feature Honda offers is Traffic Sign Recognition, which reads road signs and provides relevant information to the driver information system or head-up display. As cool as this is, Chevy’s safety technology is more expansive and more practical. Plus, Chevy has one more trick up their sleeve when it comes to safety.
If you think you’ll be teaching the kids to drive in your Malibu, you’ll be pleased to hear that it offers the available Chevy Teen Driver package. For those of you who are not aware of Chevy Teen Driver, it is a great system that allows your teenagers to move into the independence of driving alone while providing you with more peace of mind. Your teen will have a specifically-programmed key fob set up with restrictions set by you, the parents. For example, you’ll be able to set a maximum speed, maximum acceleration rate, and even a maximum audio volume level. You’ll also be provided with a teen driver report card to track your teen’s driving habits and make sure that you stay in communication about moving into maturity as an independent driver.
Teen Driver is a unique system that is a huge asset to families as the kids get older. Between Chevy Safety Assist, Chevy Teen Driver, and the other available safety technologies, the Malibu excels in safety technology.
Keeping the Balance
Both the 2022 Chevy Malibu and the 2022 Honda Accord find a healthy balance with their infotainment and safety technology; they provide innovative technology options that are not overbearing and are indeed very helpful. Chevy, however, is always innovating and finding unique solutions to problems. The Malibu provides a well-connected ride with amazing safety technology but leaves much of it to your discretion to decide how much or how little technology you desire. More importantly, however, safety is not the area in which you want to compromise because it could be the difference between life and death for you, your loved ones, or another driver. The fact is that the 2022 Malibu simply has more safety options than the 2022 Accord. So, if you want a vehicle that finds an excellent balance with infotainment technology while providing some of the most amazing safety technology available, then the 2022 Malibu is the ride for you.
