Sitting down in an old-school ’68 Chevelle or a ’72 Stingray can be a nostalgic experience. You’re witnessing pure muscle; the kind of get-up-and-go that only the classics can offer. However, if you’re looking for the in-dash GPS, sophisticated automated controls, or even a decent air-conditioning unit, there’s not much to be done. So while the cars of old pique our interests in limited capacity, what we all want are cars with the luxuries only available through modern technology.
Technological innovations have excelled modern creature comforts by leaps and bounds in only a few short decades. And if the cars of 2013 are any indication, the cars of 2020 are going to be rife with marvelous modern morsels and gorgeous gadgets and gizmos. So, what type of future technologies can we expect to see in our cars going forward? Here are six very cool technological advancements that may be coming to a showroom near you.
6 Cool, Futuristic Auto Advancements:
Advancement One: Car-to-Car Communication
Manufacturers like Ford are currently hard at work on their potentially upcoming V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) technology. What purpose does this serve? Let’s say that you’re driving to the store and go straight through a green light, as you normally would, of course. Suddenly, a car in the adjacent lane decides to run their red light. This causes countless accidents every year, because the driver with the right-of-way rarely sees the maniac light-runner! But with V2V technology, your car will see the risk, alert you of it, and allow you to avoid an accident.
Advancement Two: A Fully Digital Dash
Cars of today have very advanced dashboards, like the new Cadillac models with their built-in computers that function as rudimentary tablets. If manufacturers like Toyota have their say, by the time 2020 rolls around, their cars will have HMI units (Human-Machine Interface), which are essentially fully-functioning tablets built into the car. Complete with hardware from Microsoft an Intel, a working WiFi connection, and much more, this technology will allow drivers to access a multitude of features by touch or by voice control.
Advancement Three: An App Explosion
Mobile users already know how essential apps are to their daily lives. Some auto manufacturers are realizing that, for drivers, apps might also help to improve their driving experience. In the future, you can expect to see a wide variety of apps for cars, which will be geared toward music, lighting, heating and cooling, traveling, and even for maintenance issues pertaining to self-diagnosis of your car’s internal hardware.
Advancement Four: Remote Control Tuning
Millions of auto owners already have automatic start features for their cars, which allow them to start their rides remotely. Hyundai is looking to take this technology to the next level, with BMW also looking into remote control features like parking. For Hyundai’s version, which is known as Bluelink, an auto owner can not only remotely locate and start their car, but also control the heating/AC, monitor the car for damage and break-ins, and more.
Advancement Five: Eco-Friendly Suggestions
This stands as a cool advancement for eco-conscious drivers who want to do their part to cut back on carbon emissions. The Continental Corp., based in Germany, is currently developing an Eco-Mode system which will alert drivers to the most eco-friendly routes to take, as well as offer a slew of eco tips for the driver, dealing with heating controls, battery life, etc. The aim is to take “Smart” cars to an entirely new level of awareness.
Advancement Six: Health Monitoring Services
Ford is currently working on a seat which will contain sensors capable of accurately measuring a person’s heart rate. Mitsubishi, never to be outdone, is taking this new technology even further by using the seat and other sensors to monitor more aspects of a person’s health. Using a Doppler sensor, this technology aims to measure a person’s core temperature, facial temperature, heart rate, and other factors to automatically adjust the car’s temperature and seat position to suit the driver on any particular day.
If you think the above six advancements sound pretty cool, you haven’t seen anything yet! These six made the list for their practicality and the overall likelihood that they will be available technologies in the near future. However, this is only brushing up against the iceberg. Whether it’s a holographic dashboard display, auto and copilot features, or automobile bodies which act as solar panels, there are many more futuristic advancements in the works.
Frank Hill is a car enthusiast who enjoys restoring classic cars one of his many hobbies. For more great information on cars, Frank recommends visiting CarBL.com.
