With Apple in the design phase of their secretive electric car under Project Titan, there are hopes that they can transform the current car designs, together with the many upcoming electric car companies. What does the future of cars look like?
The future of cars will be automated, electric, and connected. The use of technology like Artificial intelligence (AI), smart car assistants, augment reality in-car entertainment, and faster and cleaner battery technology will bring various benefits to make the roads safer, more fun, and also cause less harm to the environment.
Fully electric vehicles only make up less than 10% of the global market right and will keep growing as their price drops below that of petrol cars.
Challenges and obstacles are inevitable but at the end of the day, a legendary revolution in cars will surface: safety and ease of driving will be guaranteed.
The future of cars might seem hard to imagine but there is a trend of
- technology and materials become more and more attainable and abundant,
- development and transformation of cars became more and more innovative and much new hardware and software have been introduced.
For example, the modern car contained many advancements not found in early cars such as a fuel-efficient engine, dual-clutch transmission, and regenerative braking which were all invented.
Additionally, many car brands tend to focus on the design of the car as well to attract more customers. Car companies tend to make their car look sleeker, with low ceilings and either large or small to cater to different target audiences.
Moving on to the future, there are many ideas have been proposed to make future cars more environmentally friendly, efficient, accident-free, and sleek with
- Artificial intelligence (AI) driver. AI can make our cars hands-free and companies like Apple and Tesla had considered cars without a steering wheel. The automotive industry has plans to implement AI into cars in the future after an AI driver can prove to regulators it is safer than a human driver. Drivers can then sit back and relax and not get their hands tired.
- Smart Car Assistant. With voice transcription technology improving, many homes are using home assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. A car can be commanded via voice to your preferred destination, provide information, or change the music without needing to key with your fingers.
- Better in-car entertainment. In terms of entertainment, 60% selected augmented reality screens and dashboards as the feature they would most like to see, while a coffee machine came second with more than a quarter (28%) of the vote, as noted by classiccars.com.
- Better Battery technology. Recent studies have shown that cars in the future will be run by electricity (meaning no more pumping of gas and fuel yay!) . While current lithium-ion batteries required rare earth metals like cobalt with high human impact and high environmental costs (notoriously found in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo), there are many battery sciences seeking to improve the current costs and material
- Always connected. Future cars will be connected to the internet with 5G or even more advanced technology in the future. The cars in the future will be automatically improved or upgraded via over-the-air (OTA) updates much like your phone. You can summon your car using your phone instead of entering or exiting the car park. For example, if your car is low on battery, your mobile app will alert you that it is time to recharge. If there is an accident on the highway while driving, your mobile app can alert emergency services that you need help. If your car has a broken part such as a broken rearview mirror or windshield wiper, your mobile app will alert you and you can take your car to fix the respective broken parts. From fixing broken parts of your car to ensuring that you can retrieve real-time data and information of your car will be more efficient and easily accessible.
- Cleaner and faster-charging technology. Although you will not have to pay for gas anymore, you will still be required to pay for charging of your cars at charging ports. By then, the electrical system probably contains a lot more renewable energy, making regular driving even cleaner. Pollution and global warming have been and are still a major concern in today’s society. The earth is slowly but surely deteriorating in terms of climate change and natural habitats for wildlife. Global warming has been growing rapidly with some countries experiencing terrible droughts and heatwaves. Cars will be fully run by electricity to make an effort to reduce pollution as well as decrease the overall temperature of the earth. Moreover, cars that are electrified can ensure a smoother and faster drive. Rushing to work or late for a dinner appointment? Fred not as the future of cars will get you to your destination faster than lightning.
A flying car is not discussed but seems like there is no limit to a car. What do you think the future of smart electric cars holds? Let us know too.