As the year reaches an end, it's a great opportunity to reflect on all the innovation that enriched our lives less demanding in 2018.

It's been a major year for vehicles and auto tech, with Tesla and Elon Musk hoarding the features for its vast majority,

When it comes to cars, we always wind up torn between handy advancements that change regular driving, and top of the line vehicles that cost more than the house we don't possess.

So whether it be $30 gadgets or luxury vehicles with six-figure price tags, here is our list of auto tech that grabbed our attention in 2018.

Brought to you by 1800Approved  - an Ausloans Finance arm, Australia's Best Finance Solutions for a new and used car loans.

With 1800Approved, the no deposit finance with same-day approvals will give you a fast & easy car loan across Australia. Compare 40+ lenders & SAVE! 

Jumpstart your application with 1800Approved and start comparing car loans now!

TESLA MODEL 3

It goes without saying that the Model 3 is a major deal and has been Tesla's saving grace. 

In terms of specifications, the Model 3 Performance variation has two electric engines for all-wheel drive, a bigger 75-kWh battery over the base 50-kWh one, an electric scope of 310 miles, and a guaranteed zero to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds.

Patrick George reckons “It benefits from having a super short nose up front, which makes it easy to just point and shoot wherever you want it to go.

For me, the Model 3 Performance is the most impressive Tesla I've driven to date, and easily the most fun.

The way it jumps from about 40 mph to 70 mph is just stunning. No drama, barely any noise but a slight whine, and then it kind of leaps forward, hard and instantly.

The night after the drive, and even now, I found myself still thinking about what it was like to be behind the wheel. I get to drive a lot of fun cars for my job, so that doesn't happen to me very often anymore.”

The Model 3, further noted for its excellent security features, will most likely begin Australian deliveries from 2019.

There's no going past the legend that utilized Tesla's Summon feature to avoid a parking fine— a feature in the sea of Tesla stories this year.

KIA STINGER

With its smooth structure and powerful execution, the 2018 Kia Stinger astonished many, including reviewer Patrick George prior this year.

“The idea of a performance-focused, rear-wheel drive sedan with a 365 horsepower twin-turbo V6 engine, Brembo brakes and an adaptive suspension that does zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, a car that can be had for the fraction of the price of a BMW 340i — all while wearing a Kia badge — is audacious.

But the Stinger GT pulls it off, and in spite of a few minor flaws, it manages to be both an obvious performance car bargain and one of the great car surprises of this decade. I'll cut to the chase here — the Stinger GT is fast, a superb handler, and most of all, just damn good fun.”

There are two options to choose from — a 2.0-litre turbo with 255 HP, or the GT with the 365 HP twin-turbo V6 — with costs beginning from around $50,000.

AUDI A8 QUATTRO

Ultra-extravagance with a $210,000 sticker price, the Audi A8 mixes creative tech with safety highlights fit for a president.

Highlights like the seat kneads, Bang and Olufsen 3D Sound System, premium air quality and autonomous potential stood out to reviewer Tegan Jones.

“It truly brings the boardroom to the backseat with its wide range of comfort and inclusions that are designed for those who need to work on the road, or simply love life's creature comforts.

Besides the sheer luxury that the vehicle has to offer, what we are most excited for is what the future will bring. The A8 is the first production in the world to developed with the capability for Level 3 autonomous driving in the future. Furthermore, the vehicle will include parking and garage pilot functionality at some point.”

Features like the foot massage functionality for passengers adds to its long list of luxury options.

VOLVO XC40

Beginning from $47,990, this conservative SUV accompanies an entire host of valuable advancements. 

Semi-self-governing driving tech, Qi remote charging and security inclusions that distinguish different vehicles and pedestrians, were the stand-outs here for reviewer Tegan Jones.

“My favourite feature here is the Qi wireless phone charging. Located under the dash, it's tucked away neatly and conveniently. I'm a fan of features that future proof vehicles, and this didn't disappoint.”

UBERPOOL

Outside of the auto releases this year, we observed some profoundly foreseen dispatches in the more extensive tech industry. Uber at long last propelled its UberPool item in Australia, bring the 50 percent less expensive fares to our shores.

It implies taking a short stroll to an adjacent pickup point and sharing your ride with others heading a similar way. Uber has had a lot of bungles as of late, yet UberPool put Tegan Jones back onto the app.

She stated, “On a recent trip between my house and an inner city suburb I paid $9.82 on a fare would usually be around the $30 mark. I've also had a good run with the pickup spots, which I originally thought would be the biggest pain point for me.

"As an added bonus, half of my trips have resulted in no other passengers being picked up. This means that I received almost exactly the same experience as being in an UberX but for much cheaper.”

TILE MATE

Taking care of first-world problems like losing your car keys, the Tile Mate got a redesign in 2018 to increase the Bluetooth range, battery life and alert volume.

We adore the smart assistant integration (Siri, Alexa, Google) and replaceable battery (at last!) in this fourth-age emphasis. On the off chance that you know your keys (or any other valuable) are close-by, hit the button on the application and a caution will begin playing to enable you to find it.

On the off chance that it's lost in the wild, the guide will enable you to decide the last known area. Conveniently, the alarm additionally works backward to help locate a lost telephone.

Uniden's iGO Cam 80

Dash cams have taken off in popularity as quality has enhanced, costs have descended and drivers seek tech for additional consolation out and about.

One of our top choices released this year was the Uniden iGO Cam 80. Conservative yet pressed with driver help inclusions, this model accompanies 4K recording capacities, Wide Dynamic Range and an in-built parking sensor.

A win for safety, far better on the off chance that you figure out how to catch the odd and brilliant moments on Australian streets in 4K.

All the content seen above came from lifehacker and gizmodo