Over the last decade, the pursuit of autonomous cars has triggered public imagination and inspired unusual partnerships between automakers and tech innovators. According to a report on TechRepublic, one in ten vehicles will be fully automated by 2030. Today’s automakers and tech companies work hard to place the auto industry on IoT (Internet of Things). That way, they can make smarter, safer, connected, comfortable, and fuel-efficient automobiles. Even more interesting is that hi-tech features like connected mobile apps, driver override systems, and telematics are not limited to luxury models only. You can enjoy an enhanced driving experience in budget-friendly cars as they come fitted with various tech upgrades. Below are some of the latest automobile developments shaping the future of transportation.
Connectivity via the Internet
Thanks to the development of the Internet of Things, today’s cars come connected with the internet. This means the devices inside and outside the vehicle can communicate with each other. Connected devices inside the car include onboard computers, entertainment systems, and sensors, while external devices comprise road infrastructures, parts of other cars, and houses. Driving a connected car has many benefits, such as enhanced safety, cost savings, efficiency, and easy tracking of automobile data. Generally, automobile connectivity improves the transportation ecosystem in various ways. For instance, when your vehicle interacts with other cars using IoT-enabled software and hardware, it’s easy to know about road conditions on your preferred routes. That way, you can avoid roads where there’s heavy traffic or a car accident, hence increasing road safety.
Predictive Automobile Technology
Another excellent way innovation is transforming the automobile industry is through predictive technology. There are many ways predictive technology works in automobiles, including data management, collision avoidance, auto marketing, and car performance. Typically, predictive maintenance detects car maintenance issues even before they occur using data extracted from previous repairs through sensors.
With predictive analysis, it’s easy to find correlations that allow mechanics to identify repairs that are hard for humans to know. For example, predictive maintenance can detect a manufacturing defect in car parts like the engine and exhaust system parts such as the catalytic converter. Note that catalytic converters are expensive because they use catalysts from rare metals like palladium, platinum, and rhodium. However, the price of catalytic converters is more costly in some models than in others. Automobile models with pricey catalytic converters are Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari F430, and Ford F-250. The price of catalytic converters in Lamborghini and Ferrari, for example, is estimated at $6,240 and $7,540, respectively. By leveraging predictive maintenance, car owners can identify and fix issues affecting the performance of catalytic converters, hence reducing replacement costs.
Electric Cars
Vehicles have made commuting easy, but they have caused carbon emissions and environmental harm due to depleting fossil fuel reserves. Fortunately, automakers are now designing electric cars to combat the impact of car emissions and the usage of fossil fuels. Ideally, electric vehicles rely on batteries charged by renewable energy sources like solar and hydropower. In addition to reducing carbon emission, other benefits linked to electric cars include higher levels of energy efficiency and reduced usage of fossil fuels.
Automobile technology is growing at a rapid rate, paving the way for new developments in the industry. Innovations transforming the driving experience include connectivity, predictive technology, artificial intelligence, and electrification. As automakers and tech firms continue working together, we can expect the next generation of cars to be smarter, more fuel-efficient, comfortable, and safe.