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Motor Trend Auto Show Displays Smart Cars With Safety Features

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—More car companies are building vehicles with features to cut down distracted driving, and that technology is on full display at the Motor Trend Auto Show in downtown Baltimore.

Weijia Jiang has a look at the options.

No doubt they're great eye candy, but the cars at the Motor Trend Auto Show parked at the Baltimore Convention Center boast more than beauty. They're smart...Very smart.

For some people, parallel parking is not their favorite thing to do. Some of these cars have a button for that.

"Active park assist will automatically parallel park the car for you, so all kinds of safety features are available for you," said Alonzo Luzod, Ford.

In fact, there's a button for just about everything.

"Like voice to text. You speak, it'll turn it into a text," said Peter Kitzmiller, Maryland Automobile Dealers.

There are even sensors to detect vehicles in your blind side.

Then alongside the modern cars, there's a mangled BMW that's the result of the driver texting behind the wheel. The team at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma is displaying it to send a message to buyers.

"They need to think about a car they can do hands free," said Tara Reed Carlson,  of University of Maryland Shock Trauma.

The Wilsons from Mt. Airy are doing just that.

"I have a wife and daughter. I want them to be safe, and I want to come back alive myself," said Jim Wilson, buyer.

"Anything to prevent accidents and distracted driving is a good thing," said Sherri Wilson, buyer.

You can check out the cars all weekend on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and then Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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