The world’s technology is moving at an incredibly rapid pace, with news of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things, big data, deep neural networks, and other such advancements dominating conversations on future trends. These technologies are expected to offer advancements to every industry, offering various potential benefits to consumers and businesses alike.
So what changes can we expect to see in the automotive world as a result of all these evolutionary technologies? Let’s take a look!
1. Increased Electrification
Seasoned pros with automotive careers will be well aware that the industry has been introducing plenty of hybrid and electrically powered vehicles over the last few years. That trend is expected to keep going. The electric vehicle (EV) has come a long way, with design improvements giving consumers a wider selection of model types at much lower up-front costs than ever before.
As EVs continue to evolve in the coming years, drivers can look out for notable improvements to the battery capability of these vehicles, allowing for much further driving ranges. Improvements to charge-station infrastructure could also be on the horizon, to allow EV owners much wider access to charging hubs.
2. Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a level of connectivity that moves beyond a consumer’s personal use of smartphones and computers, expanding communication to countless other devices. With the introduction of 5G, businesses are expected over the next five years to be able to connect to around 500 times more IoT devices than they can through the current LTE cellular network.
The increased connectivity we might see with 5G will allow a much greater level of connectivity between cars and home devices. Future vehicles might eventually be fitted to remotely operate smart home systems so drivers can do things like turn on the heat, switch off lights, and much more right from their cars. 5G is also the technology that will make the mass-implementation of autonomous vehicles possible.
3. Autonomous Vehicles
Those training in automotive industry practices will no doubt have been following the intriguing evolution of the self-driven vehicle, which uses a combination of cameras, sensors, laser scanners, brake actuators, and more to drive itself. Engineered with the goal of replacing human drivers, some potential benefits of the concept would include improved efficiency to fleet deliveries and safer public transport by removing driver errors caused by negligence or fatigue.
Designers of AVs are continuing to perfect Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhanced computer vision to detect road hazards and obstacles, to allow for such applications as pedestrian behaviour prediction technology.
4. Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication
No matter how sophisticated our technologies become, traffic congestion is likely to continue to be a problem on the world’s roads as long as cars remain land-bound. The concept of vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communications would allow vehicles to speak to one another in order to help reduce traffic and car accidents.
With this idea in mind, some well-known apps have already been developed that help drivers communicate about current road conditions. V2V takes this idea a step further, with drivers getting a signal from other cars ahead about an upcoming hazard—with further future concepts of plug-in crash prediction technology or auto braking taking over from there. Ford Motor Co. is an example of a carmaker already outfitting all 2022 cars with a version of the technology, letting all Ford vehicles communicate with one another about road cautions and talking to stoplights to smooth the flow of traffic.
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