As proven by the incredible technology surrounding us, we are racing quickly into the future. From novel and helpful products (such as Google Glass) to the incredible innovations brought to us by organizations like SpaceX, one would assume things couldn’t get much more amazing than they already are.
However, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. This is because technology continues to improve and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. One of the industries that will be seeing some striking technological improvements in the next few years is the automotive industry.
In fact, many of the technologies that are in the works for the cars of the near future are absolutely life-changing, and are truly competing with one another to ignite the public’s curiosity and excitement. Read on to learn about a few of these innovations.
Autonomous Vehicles
More and more often we are seeing technology help us make the most informed decisions possible. This is true in business as well as in our day-to-day lives, and soon it will be equally as common on the road.
The recent birth of autonomous cars (AKA self-driving vehicles) is just one small baby step in the direction of the future. Companies such as Uber and Tesla are already testing this technology, and a great many others are expected to begin such tests this year. As this technology is refined, we will begin to see more and more self-driving vehicles on the road. We should see the technology become available to the general public sometime in the next few years.
Health Help
Technology advancements are often best used as tools to improve the health of those around us. From dentists’ offices to operating rooms, there is technology being used in every kind of medical setting there is. As if that wasn’t enough, health technology is slowly working its way outside of the medical office and into our daily lives, and cars will soon be joining the ranks as personal health monitoring devices.
In an effort to keep the roads safe, Ford Motors is working on a way to monitor the health of drivers through the use of specialized seatbelts and steering wheels. These items would be capable of keeping tabs on a person’s vital signs and would contact emergency services should something seem off.
Keyless Locking Systems
In recent years we have seen a huge increase in keyless vehicle-locking technology. However, the use of key fobs and door codes is soon to become both clumsy and old-fashioned.
With the birth of biometric locking technology, it is likely we will begin seeing vehicles with the ability to be locked and unlocked with the use of a fingerprint, retina scan, or via voice recognition technology. This will put an end to the morning key fumbling rituals, and will make car theft much more difficult to accomplish.
Improved Electric Cars
Electric cars are seeing amazing improvements all the time. Just last year, Nissan announced that its Leaf model would be boasting a much-improved 107-mile range. In an effort to keep up, Chevrolet outdid themselves by introducing the Bolt EV, which offers up to 200 miles of driving on one charge. Close behind them, we see the more reasonably priced Ford Focus Electric with a 100-mile range, an improvement on the previous year’s 76 miles.
Because the range and affordability of electric cars is expected to continue to improve, we expect that electric cars will be commonplace on the road in 2020. This is great news for those working toward a greener planet, as well as those who find gas prices to be unaffordable.
Internet-Connected Transportation
In this day and age, it seems that everything around us is connected to the internet. Some cars even come equipped with internet connection now, and in the next few years we expect to see an increase in this trend. This connection offers a number of benefits, many of which are sure to improve our lives.
For instance, internet-connected vehicles will have the ability to communicate with one another and with many of the objects around them, including parking meters and stoplights. This technology will work alongside autonomous driving technology to create the safest driving experience possible. Additionally, it will make both long and short trips much more pleasant experiences by removing much of the stress caused by driving.
Another benefit of internet-connected vehicles will be the ability to communicate with your car. This means your car will be able to provide traffic and road conditions and even make suggestions for alternate routes, food and/or rest stops, or people to contact in the event you will be late for an appointment. From there, you will have the option to take your vehicle’s suggestion or make another decision of your own, and you’ll have the ability to communicate your decision by speaking directly to the car. Additionally, the vehicle will be able to guide you to the suggested stop or make that suggested phone call for you.
Are you ready for the future of cars? We know we are. After all, how cool will it be to cruise along in a vehicle that can do almost all of the stressful work for you?
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