Cars are becoming really sophisticated these days. They have all sorts of gadgets and even allow you to add all sorts of attachments for your pleasure. But if there is anything that is invisible about a car, it's the safety features.

About the only thing that you can probably see is the seatbelts inside a car. But this isn't the only thing that cars have that will prevent you from high-impact accidents. In fact, if you don't know what else is in your car in terms of safety features, how can you shop for one to begin with?

Know the technologies that are available today so that you can look for them the next time you are in the market for a new car.

• Cruise Control – You all know about the cruise control feature. In fact, you probably use this a lot so that you can maintain a certain speed on the highway when you are out of town or on a long trip on the road. Not only does this help you save gas, cruise control can actually help you save your own life.

These days there is a technology known as adaptive cruise control and it helps you to maintain a constant and safe speed. The great thing about this technology is that it can also sense if there are cars in front of you so it will lower your speed without you having to step on the brakes abruptly. It can spot changes in traffic and even react well enough in case you are cut off on the road. This is a sophisticated system that you can expect to see in all future car models.

• Impact / Blind spot detection – Another nifty new technology can help you to park safely. Ever had the trouble of parking because there are certain areas that you cannot see with your own eyes? Imagine parking without having to make any mistakes or causing any accidents at all. It may seem far-fetched but there are some occasional bumps that you can experience just parking a car. This technology actually helps spot objects while you are parking or driving and warns with an alarm or a flashing light.

• Lane warning – When you are driving during long trips, there may be times that you find yourself tired or lazy. Some people even sleep on the wheel while driving on large highways. This is where lane warning technology can help. This kind of system helps you be alert while you are driving. It will set off an alarm or a vibration in your seat to warn you that you are drifting off your particular lane. It can even warn you if a vehicle is coming too close to your own. This is something that you definitely want in your car if you are on the highway late at night or early in the morning most of the time.

• Rollover prevention – Rollovers are the cause for many accidents on sharp curves and slippery areas on the highway. Now, a lot of automakers offer a new electronic stability control system that can sense an inevitable rollover situation and therefore stabilize a car's speed by applying brakes for you. Rollover protection systems are becoming more commonplace in vehicles and should be taken seriously.