The automotive industry is no stranger to change. Over the years, it has seen several developments that have completely reshaped the way we think about cars. From internal combustion engines to hybrid powertrains and electric vehicles, today’s automobiles are becoming smarter than ever before. The future of automotive technology promises even more innovation in this space: driverless cars, smart roads and highways, 3D scanning technologies — these are some of the trends you need to know about.
Driverless vehicles
Driverless vehicles are a reality. They’re safer than human drivers and will become the standard in 20 years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In fact, driverless cars will be on the roads by 2030 according to Goldman Sachs’ predictions. This means that your children may never have to drive themselves anywhere again!
Electric cars
Electric cars have been around since the late 1800s, but they never really caught on due to their limited range and high cost. However, electric vehicles are now better than ever and are becoming increasingly popular.
Electric vehicles benefit from a number of advantages over internal combustion engines (ICEs). For example:
- They’re more efficient than ICEs because they don’t need an external source of power like gasoline or diesel fuel–they generate their own electricity from onboard batteries or regenerative braking systems that convert kinetic energy into usable energy. This means that electric cars can travel farther on fewer resources than traditional vehicles; it also makes them cheaper to run overall because there are fewer maintenance costs associated with traditional fuels like gasoline or diesel fuel.* Electric motors produce less noise than internal combustion engines do when running at high speeds.* Electric cars typically offer smoother acceleration because there’s no transmission between gears; this makes them easier and safer for novice drivers who may not be used to shifting gears manually while driving
Connected cars
Connected cars are more than just a luxury. They’re expected to become the norm in the future, and they’ll have an impact on how we travel and interact with our vehicles.
Connected car features can be used to improve safety, efficiency and convenience in many ways:
- Connected cars are safer because they can alert drivers to potential hazards ahead of time. For example, if there’s a car stopped on the road ahead at night or during bad weather conditions that might not be visible otherwise (like fog), your connected car will detect it and warn you via audio alerts from your dashboard speaker system or smartphone app so that you aren’t surprised by any sudden stops or slowdowns in traffic flow when approaching those areas of concern.* * *
Autonomous vehicles
Autonomous vehicles are expected to become the norm in 2023. If you’ve ever seen an autonomous car on the road, then you know they’re already here. But it’s not just about self-driving cars–autonomous trucks, buses, and other vehicles will also be hitting the streets in large numbers over the next few years.
As these technologies become more widespread, we’ll see huge benefits for everyone involved: fewer accidents (thanks to sensors that detect objects around them), less congestion (the cars can drive closer together than humans would), safer roads (because there won’t be any drunk driving), and better traffic flow overall (thanks again). Autonomous vehicles will be able to communicate with each other and even talk directly with road infrastructure like stoplights so they know when it’s safe for them to proceed through intersections without stopping first!
Smart roads and highways
Smart roads and highways are more than just sensors. They can be used to collect data, which will be used to improve traffic flow and safety.
The smart road is made up of two parts: the underlying infrastructure (the asphalt) and embedded electronics or sensors that monitor various aspects of the system like weather conditions, traffic flow and speed limits. The data collected from these sensors is then transmitted back to a central control center where it’s analyzed for patterns or trends that could help improve traffic flow across the nation’s highways.
3D scanning technologies
3D scanning technologies are being used in the automotive industry to improve safety, efficiency and convenience. 3D scanning is used to detect pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles; it can also be used to detect obstacles and road features.
The future of automotive is going to be highly automated and connected.
The future of automotive is going to be highly automated and connected. Autonomous vehicles will become the norm, electric cars will be the norm and connectivity will be a given. Automotive companies will need to adapt to these changes in order for them not only to survive but also thrive in this new environment.
Automotive companies are already adapting their business models by investing heavily into self-driving technology as well as new mobility services (Uber) or even opening up their own ride-sharing platforms (Volkswagen).
Automotive is a very dynamic field and it will continue to evolve in the coming years. We expect that there will be more driverless cars on the road, as well as electric vehicles and connected cars. All of these technologies are already available on some models today!
