An Individual’s View on the Future of the Vehicle
Let’s imagine that by the year 2025, the average automobile will look nothing like its prehistoric forebear. For safety reasons, they will be filled with computers and safety systems, and they will operate on carbon dioxide and produce strawberry-scented oxygen. They could, of course.
For all we know, we may all have space projects that match NASA in our own backyards right now. However, some of the cutting-edge automotive technology that is now being developed may very possibly make it into future production vehicles. To what extent will we really need, or even desire, this technology? There is already a lot of political and bureaucratic effect on automobile design in the current day, and the spectacular idea exhibited at the motorshow comes into reality as a one-liter shopping cart, but at least it’s legal.
Fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles and water-emitting fuel cell vehicles are concepts that appeal to me. Like most car aficionados, I also like strong, noisy convertibles that can shatter a vertebrae in half at a distance of ten yards. The aim of automobile designers and engineers of the future will be to create a politically acceptable car that is also appealing, so a smart combination is needed.
In addition, designers of the future will have a challenge in coming up with new and creative stylistic concepts. Though stunning, some of the newer designs aren’t aesthetically pleasing in the traditional sense. Automobiles excel at invention, and I, for one, am convinced that previously unimaginable radical and extreme designs will continue to arise at motorshows all over the globe.
The modern driver is becoming less and less responsible for the actions of their vehicle, and soon crash victims will be suing electronics companies for accidents they caused because their computer system failed to brake the car even though they were fast asleep at the wheel on a three-lane highway. Because there are just too many variables on the road for computer-driven automobiles to be practical until every vehicle on every road is automated, I don’t see how you could defeat a brain with reasoning alone. Computer-assisted driving is already available in select Mercedes models, which will brake for you if you fail to look where you’re going or go too close to the vehicle in front, but there is still a driver in charge of the car… or there was. How about if there was a dire consequence for civilisation if you weren’t able to go closer to the automobile in front of you for some strange reason? To what extent may automobiles be automated?
However, even if auto theft is almost eradicated in sophisticated cities in the future, a determined thief will not be deterred. New cars equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System) units will be able to follow any vehicle at all times and in any location. This technology is currently widely used, but it is expected to become more prevalent. In order to alleviate the country’s ever-increasing traffic woes, the government of the United Kingdom has already begun discussing the installation of GPS devices in cars. Tracking and recovering stolen automobiles may be done with the use of this technology and a better mobile phone and Bluetooth network. A call may be made if the vehicle is determined to be stolen and the engine is turned off. In addition to sending out a call to local police, cops may follow the stolen automobile using the GPS placed in both the stolen car and the police car. Additionally, police officers will be able to trail a vehicle and get information on its owner, present driver, and driving history, as well as recent peak speed and acceleration numbers, thanks to Bluetooth technology. Of course, no one wants to be pulled over five miles later and receive a speeding charge for something the officer didn’t see. However, if this technology is required, what are your options?
There will be a wide range of new methods of unlocking automobiles in the future, including push-button codes and keycards that don’t even leave your pocket. Keyless entry refers to the fact that a remote control is coupled to a key that is then used to start the automobile. As an alternative to the key, fingerprint biometrics are available on certain computer systems and may be used as a password. You can even set it up for members of your family so that only those with licenses can use the system, if you like. Nonetheless, I doubt that this will be the sole way to start or enter a vehicle for some time. What if you’re loaning your car to a buddy and aren’t there to enable it to start?
The question, “Are we there yet?” will evolve into “Can we remain here?” as the development of multimedia systems continues in automobiles. More and more TV displays are being squeezed into ever more inventive locations, allowing for an immersive Dolby 7.1 surround sound experience. Hard disk recording of video will overtake DVDs as the primary technology, much as MP3s have done to CDs. In addition to saving space in the automobile, this MP4 technology will enable significantly more film to be stored in the vehicle. Improvements in wireless Internet connectivity might allow bigger highways to handle Internet-capable cars and provide drivers with real-time information about traffic conditions. Traffic reports and other routes may be shown on the dash through a screen that uses the GPS systems in all cars to indicate where vehicles have been stopped or are congested. Headphone jacks and numerous sound outputs will allow many radio stations to be played at the same time, as will a wide range of MP3s. Car audio systems will also develop and become more personalized for individual passengers.
As time goes on, automobile makers will place more emphasis on passenger safety, and this will only become more important. Side-impact safety airbags, which are already common in certain models, are expected to become even more common as more research and improved location reveal how beneficial they are at saving lives. Due to the current limitation of only being able to be deployed once, airbags are rendered useless after the initial collision. Future airbag systems may address this limitation by including several single-use airbags in the same location or by making airbags that can be reused many times. Some high-end vehicles include dynamic headrests that move forward during a collision in order to reduce the risk of whiplash (the movement of the head backward after a collision).
A crucial component in the safety of a car during an accident is whether or not its bumper or frame height is high enough. A vehicle with a bumper that is too high may overcome the bumper of the other vehicle and crash straight into its passengers, increasing their danger significantly. Accidents like this happen when a small car collides with an SUV, and the mismatch can be avoided by having adjustable ride heights on the larger vehicles, which would lower the vehicle to a suitable height when driving on a smooth road, and as a byproduct, this would also reduce the top-heavy nature of trucks and SUVs, preventing rollover accidents.
It’s inevitable that sensors will play a larger role in helping drivers avoid collisions and other serious injuries. Black ice and other dangerous circumstances will be detected by sensors scanning the road surface, and this information will be shown to drivers, and the car will take the necessary action to increase traction, thereby lowering the risk of an accident. Every car would become a roaming weather station if the information obtained was sent to a central road monitoring network that might alert other drivers to changing weather conditions.
Other automobiles, including the Citroen C4, already have this technology, which sounds an alert if the vehicle is detected to be deviating from the road or traffic lane. A driver’s well-being might also be monitored by sensors, such as image sensors that detect eye movement, and an alarm would ring if the eyes are closed for longer than a few seconds. Wet conditions are monitored by sensors in the new A6, and if they’re detected, BOSCH brakes occasionally apply pressure so mild that drivers won’t feel it, wiping away the wetness and ensuring excellent contact when it is required. Half of all road deaths occur at night, despite the fact that just a quarter of all driving happens at night. Improved night vision and spatial awareness might help reduce these fatalities. Night vision with infrared technology is currently available as an option on several Cadillac models. Infrared vision does not detect light; it sees heat, and objects that are warmer appear more prominently on the display. In order for the driver to view both the actual environment and a digital projection, the screen is projected onto the windshield in front of the driver’s line of vision. Additionally, Honda has an additional feature that can recognize objects and people and digitally highlight those who are likely to come into the vehicle’s path and then issue an auditory warning.
In 2005, Chrysler and Daimler started employing biological composite materials manufactured from coconut, sisal, jute, and other plants in their automobiles. Seat cushions, seat backs, underfloor body panels, and inside door panels are all places where this organic material may be found. Recyclability and environmental friendliness are two of the many advantages of employing biological molecules instead of standard synthetics in production. Despite their rising popularity, ceramic brake discs, initially introduced by Porsche, are still prohibitively costly, restricting their application to high-end automobiles. Ceramics have a high heat tolerance, making them ideal for high-performance automobiles and those that often utilize their brakes. Exhaustive usage and high temperatures may cause brake fade, which can be reduced by their capacity to operate under these conditions. High-performance materials like carbon fiber and carbon kevlar, first used in race cars, have now made their way into production vehicles, mainly in luxury models. But in the future, these composites will be found in the average car, reducing weight and increasing fuel efficiency while maintaining structural rigidity and strength.
Car designers of the future will have to look for fresh themes and inspirations. In an increasingly “done before” market, designs must be bolder and more aggressive to capture people’s attention. Often, this means losing the aesthetic balance of the design. This does not imply that all designs will be unappealing, but rather that some will be. Pedestrian safety rules, which mandate “softer” front ends on vehicles, will have an impact on external design as well. While certain models have already adopted this idea, it is impossible to predict how it will alter the general look of automobiles in the future. The green character of alternative fuel sources like hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen combustion engines may be reflected in car bodywork as they become more widely used. This, on the other hand, is a mistake in my opinion. Making people vomit in disgust at the sight of the Honda Insight Hybrid is simply not a good idea, especially if they are already apprehensive about the car’s power source. Instead of looking like a kaleidoscopic nightmare from the 1960s, modern eco-friendly vehicles should resemble a respectable concept car powered by a different engine. Despite this, BMW’s H2R is a visually attractive automobile, but an impractical one. Hybrid technology is also making its way into mass-produced cars as an optional power source.
Additionally, automobile interiors will become more personalized and user-friendly in the future. Comfort for the driver and passengers will be enhanced by the standard installation of adjustable lumbar support seats and ergonomically positioned controls. The ability to tailor and customize one’s car’s interior will be a popular feature in the future. A dashboard may be switched like a phone cover, and if your size is a bit larger than typical, why not install an XXL seat in two simple steps? The choices will be unlimited to respond to an ever-demanding customer.
Vehicles powered by alternative energy sources are becoming more common. Fuel cell vehicles will be as fast as their fossil fuel cousins, but without the waste or odor. After government incentives push everyone but the really affluent into ecologically friendly automobiles, no problem. Phosphorus exchange membrane cathodes are not the same as gasoline pistons, and persuading someone who considers themselves a “petrol head” may take some convincing. Eventually, regular conventional fuel automobiles will be sought after by collectors, but it will be a long time before they are considered classics.
