new 2017 Acadia – a reimagined crossover aimed at the heart of the midsize segment pioneers a much needed safety feature in the Middle East. The Rear Seat Reminder is an innovation that aims to reduce incidents of forgotten items left in the rear seat, and is standard on every MY17 Acadia. The technology acts as a reminder to look in the rear seat once the Acadia is switched off. "Rear Seat Reminder speaks volumes of the intention of GMC to provide innovations that are useful to our core customers. The 2017 Acadia is an all-new design that mainly caters to families and active individuals. This unique feature helps protect any precious cargo the driver might have left in the back seat. And in our region, , it could prove critical if anything is forgotten in the back seat, especially in the summer heat, where cabin temperatures can quickly rise to over 70 degrees centigrade in a matter of minutes," said Mohsen Kassem, Regional Marketing and Sales Manager, GMC Middle East. He added: "Over the past few years, we have witnessed local authorities in the region, as well as child protection groups, with the support of the media, take this issue to heart and raise awareness. Therefore, we sincerely hope that this feature could help minimize the occurrence and avoid unnecessary tragedies in the new Acadia, and all our cars once this technology proliferates." The Rear Seat Reminder works by monitoring the Acadia's rear doors. The feature is intended to activate when either rear door is opened and closed within 10 minutes before the vehicle is started, or if they are opened and closed while the vehicle is running. Under these circumstances, the next time the vehicle is turned off after a door activation, the Acadia is designed to sound five audible chimes and display a message in the driver information center that reads, "Rear Seat Reminder/Look in Rear Seat." The feature cannot detect items in the backseat, so it is always important to check the rear seat prior to exiting the vehicle. The 2017 GMC Acadia also includes a number of active safety features designed to help make drivers more aware of their surroundings avoid potential crash situations even in base trim. They are available depending on the model and include New Front Pedestrian Braking, New Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking (standard on SLT-2 and Denali), New Forward Automatic Braking (available on Denali)'New Following Distance Indicator, New IntelliBeam automatic headlamp high-beam control, New Surround Vision camera system, New Safety Alert Seat, Forward Collision Alert, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Front and Rear Parking Assist. The new Acadia offers a more-efficient powertrain, while continuing to offer three rows of seating on most models. The premium Acadia Denali returns, along with a new All Terrain model offering enhanced off-road capability. The new 2017 Acadia goes on sale in the Middle East in the fall, almost a decade after its original introduction. — SG
