One of the best examples of the latest technological advances is all the new tech coming out of the automotive industry. When compared to the first models on the road, modern-day cars resemble computers more than automobiles. Nowadays, a car’s technology is as important, if not more, than its engineering. Every year, more aspects of driving become automated in hopes of reducing the dangers of driving and the possibility of an accident. These electronic improvements are also about the car’s security, connectivity, and its ability to communicate with the world. While most of the technological improvements are seen as “safety features you will hopefully never use,” they do directly affect how you interact with your vehicle. The point is to make life on the road easier without causing any distractions to the driver.
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Advanced Driver Assists
For those looking to buy a new car, there are several new automotive technologies to look for when making your choice. The Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), for example, have become the standard in new cars, and for a good reason. These groups of electrical mechanics assist parking and driving functions, can quickly react to potential hazards, and even reduce driver fatigue. The ADAS includes functions like adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assists, blind-spot alerts, cross-traffic alerts, and reverse brake assists. These systems really represent some of the finest advances in technology in cars yet. They can basically drive the car for you since, when engaged, they know when to slow down and when to accelerate in order to maintain a safe distance from the cars around you. They alert when your car starts to drift into another lane and if there’s a vehicle in your blind spot. The reverse brake assist will even stop the car if it senses an object behind you.
Automatic Emergency Braking
The next upgrade we see in cars is the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB). The AEB can activate the breaks when the car senses an imminent collision. The AEB can even sense if you need to react quicker than you are and knows if you’re applying enough pressure to the breaks to avoid an accident in time. The Automatic Emergency Braking should be considered a high priority and is expected to become standard across vehicle production lines by over 20 manufacturers by the end of 2022.
Key Fob and Connected Mobile Apps
Less standard among cars but also highly coveted techs are the Digital Key and Connected Mobile Apps. These allow you to remotely lock and unlock your vehicle, check how much gas you have, and even gauge the tire pressure all from your cell phone. There’s also wireless smartphone charging pads being installed on the higher trim cars and luxury models. However, these upgrades will likely become standard as time passes.
360 Degree Cameras
We’re also seeing more camera technology being rolled out, like the 360-degree cameras and video rearview mirrors. The 360-degree cameras are capable of showing you a top-down view of your surroundings and can even reduce insurance claims from low-speed crashes. The camera technology is also super helpful for those scary parallel parking situations.
Stolen Vehicle Tracking Software
Another huge perk of all the latest software updates is the ability to track stolen technology. Believe it or not, over 200,000 cars were stolen in 2020. Thanks to the new Stolen Vehicle Tracking Software, over 50% of those cars were recovered. This software also contacts rescue services in case of an accident and can pinpoint a vehicle’s exact location.
With all the advancements we’ve seen, imagine what the future holds for automotive technology? Tesla claims to have the first autonomous vehicle on the road sooner rather than later. Maybe flying cars are not something we will only see in movies after all.
