Jargon Buster

A mid-engine car has its engine between the rear and front axles, usually behind where the passengers sit, a layout most commonly found in sports cars.

Android Auto is a way of linking your smartphone to a car and are designed to help improve safety and convenience.

Telematics technology uses information from a vehicle’s on-board computer along with GPS data to record how and where a car is being driven – for example, how fast it is going, how harshly the accelerator or brakes are applied, etc.

A catalytic converter controls harmful emissions by breaking down the harmful compounds that are produced by vehicle engines.

Apple CarPlay allows iPhone owners to connect their phone to a car and show an iOS screen on the infotainment system display.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of satellites that sends information about time and location to a vehicle’s navigation system.

Ride quality refers to a how comfortable a car is to travel in.

The centre console is the area in the middle of the dashboard that contains the buttons and switches for operating most of the car’s functions.

A car’s satellite navigation system, or sat nav, uses the information from GPS satellites to work out its latitude, longitude, altitude and movement.

DAB stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting and is an alternative digital way of broadcasting radio signals, as opposed to the older analogue form, which used FM and AM frequencies.

Carbon fibre is a material that is used in racing cars and now, increasingly, in road cars. It is a light and extremely strong reinforced plastic that contains carbon fibres and is ideal for making stiff, strong but lightweight cars.

Autonomous driving means that a car can move along a road with little or no need for a human to control the car.

NOx is a term that describes nitrogen oxides, harmful pollutants that are emitted by car exhausts that have been proven to have serious health implications.

A car’s range is the distance it can travel with the current amount of fuel in the tank.

A remote keyless entry/go system in a car has door locks that open when an electronic key or card is nearby.

An infotainment system controls a car’s information and entertainment functions, usually through a screen mounted on the dashboard or in the centre console.

The switchgear in a car is all the switches, buttons and stalks that are used to control functions such as the lights, windscreen wipers, heating and air conditioning, driving modes, etc.

A battery electric vehicle (BEV) uses the electrical energy from rechargeable batteries to power an electric motor (or motors).

When petrol or diesel burns in an engine, carbon dioxide gas – also known as CO2 – is the result.

In Britain, a car’s fuel consumption is measured in miles per gallon, which is shortened to MPG.

On-board diagnostics (OBD) refers to a car's ability to self-diagnose and report any issues about how the vehicle is running.