The future car, a 2025 model, will be a very different machine from its present-day Grandfather. They will be packed with computers and safety devices, ensuring that not even a stunt driver can crash, and they will run on carbon dioxide and emit strawberry-scented oxygen. Well, they might. Predictions of future vehicles are usually wildly inaccurate; by now, we should all have space programs to rival NASA based out of our backyard. However, some of the automobile-related cutting-edge technology emerging now may well make it into future production models. But how much of this technology will be needed or even wanted? The present car design is already influenced by politicians, bureaucrats, health and safety regulations, and emissions regulations. The stunning concept seen at the motor show emerges as a 1.0-liter shopping cart, but at least it’s legal.
I like the idea of fuel-efficient hybrid cars and fuel-cell cars emitting only water. However, like most enthusiasts, I also like powerful, loud convertibles that can snap vertebrae at ten paces. Therefore, a sensible mix is required. This will be the job entrusted to car designers and engineers of the future to make a politically correct car that is also desirable. Another imminent problem facing designers of the future is coming up with styling ideas that are fresh and new. Some recent concepts are striking but not necessarily beautiful in the world’s classic sense. But suppose there is one thing the automobile industry is good at. In that case, that is innovation, and I, for one, am confident that radical and extreme concepts never before imagined will continue to appear at motor shows worldwide.
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Computer technology has already taken a firm hold of the automobile, and the modern driver is less and less responsible for the actions of their vehicle; soon, crash victims will try to sue the 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. Until you have automation of every vehicle on every road, computer-driven cars are just not feasible; in my mind, there are just far too many on-the-road variables; with all the logic in the world, you cannot beat a brain. NComputer-assisted driving is already available in specific Mercedes models that brake if you are yyou’renot looking where you’re going and you’re too close to the car in front. However, there is still a driver in control of the vehicle. If you wanted to get more relative to the car in front, for some reason, you needed to get closer to the vehicle. If you didn’t get closer to the car, something terrible would happen to civilization. Where do you draw the line with vehicle automation?
CCTV will be so prevalent in advanced cities of the future that visible crimes such as car theft are all but wiped out, but that still won’t stop the determined thief. GPS (Global Positioning System) units fitted as standard to all new automobiles will track any vehicle anywhere. This technology is already familiar, but more widespread use is inevitable. In the UK, the government is already talking about fitting GPS to charge motorists depending on what road they travel on and at what times to cut spiraling congestion. This technology and an improved mobile phone and Bluetooth network can track and recover stolen vehicles. When the car is found to be stolen, a call can be made, which shuts down the car’s engine.
Simultaneously, a call is sent out, which alerts the available nearby police; by using the GPS installed in both the stolen car and the police car, officers can track the vehicle even if they cannot see it. The police will also have more insight into a vehicle’s record when out on patrol. Using Bluetooth technology, a police car can tailor a vehicle and receive information on its owner, current driver, driving history, and even recent top speed and acceleration figures. Of course, who wants that? You think you’ve just had a fun little blast on your favorite bit of road, you get pulled over five miles later, and the officer gives you a speeding ticket for something he didn’t see. But if this technology is mandatory, then what choice do you have?
Access to future automobiles may differ from today’s keys, push button code entry, and keycard systems where the key doesn’t leave your pocket, already available, will become commonplace. You hear the term keyless entry, but it still uses a remote control attached to a key, which is then used to start the car. Biometrics, available on some computer systems and using fingerprinting as a password, could be an effective alternative to the key; you could even program it for your family members, deciding between access only for the children or access and drive functions for those with licenses. However, I believe it will be some time before this is the only means of vehicle entrystartuprtup; what if you are lending your car to a friend and cannot be present to startup-up?
Multimedia systems will continue to develop in cars until the “Are we there yet” phrase originates into “Can we stay here.” Manufacturers are continuing to cram more and more video screens into increasingly ingenious places providing a rolling cinematic Dolby 7.0 surround sound experience. DVDs will go the way of the VCR, with hard disk video recording as the dominant power, much as MP3s are killing off CDs. This MP4 technology will save car space and allow far more footage to be kept on board.
Improvements in wireless Internet connections could mean that larger roads can support Internet-capable vehicles and constantly inform the driver with up-to-date, relevant road information. A screen in the dash can display live images to show traffic reports and predict traffic jams using the GPS systems in all vehicles to show areas where vehicles have been stopped or congested and then supply alternate routes. The sound systems of cars will also improve and become more personalized for the various passengers; with headphone sockets and multiple tough outlets, there might be four different radio stations that can be played at once through the additional jacks and a variety of MP3s that can be played at once.
Passenger safety is already a priority for modern-day car manufacturers, which will only increase in importance. The widespread use of airbags will increase. Some models’ side impact protection airbags have proved extremely useful in saving lives. More research and better positioning will continue to improve their performance and reliability. Airbags at the moment can only be deployed once, so in multiple collision crashes, their effectiveness is voided after the first impact; future airbag systems, however, may consider this and incorporate multiple single-use airbags in one position or reusable airbags that can be inflated several times. Some manufacturers use a dynamic headrest in some high-spec models; these move forward during a collision to stop the head from snapping back quite so far, reducinghe chance of spinal injury (whiplash.
)It has been found that a vehicle’s bumper and frame height is a significant factors in safety during a collision. Suppose a vcarhas a bumper that is too high. In that case, it can override the other vehicle’s bumper and plow directly into the passenger compartment, putting the occupants at severe risk. Accidents like this usually occur when an average size car collides with a truck or SUV; this mismatch can be avoided by having adjustable ride heights on the larger vehicles; when they are on a smooth road lowering the vcarto a suitable size would reduce the dangers normally associated with these sorts of the collision, as a by-product, this would also reduce the top-heavy nature of trucks and SUVs, and rollover accidents could be avoided.
Sensors will be increasingly responsible for predicting and safeguarding against avoidable accidents. Sensors will monitor the road surface, scanning for black ice and hazardous conditions. This information will then be displayed on the driver. The vehicle may take appropriate steps to improve traction, thus reducing the chance of an accident. The information gathered may also be relayed to a central road monitoring network, informing other motorists of changing weather conditions. In effect, every vehicle would become a roving weather station.
Sensors will also monitor the car’s position on the road, and if the vehicle is found to be straying from the street or traffic lane, an alarm will sound. This feature is already found on the Citroen C4, amongst others. Sensors could also monitor the driver’s well-being, imaging sensors would track eye movement, and if the eyes close for more than a few seconds, an alarm would sound to alert the driver. Audi uses sensors on its new A6, which monitors wet conditions. If found, the BOSCH brakes are applied intermittently to wipe off the water and ensure good contact when needed; the pressure applied in this process is so slight that the driver does not notice.
Improved night vision and spatial awareness would help cut down on nighttime crashes, which account for half the road-related fatalities yearly, even though only a quarter of all driving occurs at night. Cadillac already includes infrared night vision as an option on some of its more desirable models; infrared vision does not see the light. It considers heat; the warmer an object is, the more it stands out on the screen. The screen is a heads-up display projected onto the windscreen in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing the driver to see the real world and the digital projection. Honda has a similar system with the ability to identify objects, pick out pedestrians, digitally highlight those likely to step into the vehicle’s path, and then emit an audible warning.
New materials are always brought into the automotive field; in 2005, Chrysler Daimler began using biological composite materials from coconut, sisal, jute, and other plants. This natural material is used mostly on the car’s interior and finds its way into seat cushions, seatbacks, underfloor body panels, and interior door panels. One of the benefits of using these biological compounds is that they can be recycled and reused. The manufacturing process involved is far more environmentally friendly than conventional synthetic compounds.
Ceramics first used in braking by Porsche are becoming increasingly popular, although still very expensive limiting them to exclusive vehicles. The benefits of using ceramics are their high tolerance to intense heat, making them suitable for high-performance cars, and where the heavy use of the brakes is needed regularly. Their ability to perform under these extremes helps reduce the brake fade associated with excessive use and high temperatures. Materials first, such as carbon fiber and carbon kevlar, first used on race cars and famed for their high strength and lightweight properties, have now filtered down to the production car level, mainly in high-end vehicles. Still, in due time, these composites will begin to appear in the average car, cutting weight and increasing fuel economy while maintaining structural rigidity.
Designers must explore new themes and find alternative influences in the future car. To catch people’s eye, the plans must be increasingly bold and brash, often sacrificing the invention’s aesthetic balance to be different in an increasingly ‘done before’ market. This is not to say all designs will be hideous, just some. Another influence on to exterior design will be made by law as stricter pedestrian protection laws are enforced, requiring the front ends of cars to be ‘softer,’ this thinking has already been introduced on some models, overall though it is difficult to project how this will ultimately affect the face of car design.
With the increased use of alternative fuel sources such as hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen combustion engines, vehicle bodies may begin to reflect their power’s green nature. However, I believe this to be a mistake. The Honda Insight Hybrid might have been more successful had it not been utterly repulsive; people were already wary of its power source, and to make them vomit in disgust at its styling is just not intelligent. Why do all the eco-friendly cars look like a 60’s psychedelic nightmare? Why can’t they look like a decent concept car with an alternative engine? However, things seem to be improving, and BMW’s H2R is an undeniably stunning vehicle, if somewhat impractical. And hybrid technology is finding its way into mainstream production vehicles as an optional power source.
The interior of vehicles will also change and become more user-friendly and personalized. Ergonomically positioned controls and lumbar support seats with adjustable everything will come as standard to increase driver and passenger comfort and reduce chronic pain and discomfort. Customizable and personalized interior space will also become desirable for the future automobile. Just as you swap mobile phone covers, an entire dash could be changed to match your mood; if you’re a little bigger than average, why not fit an XXL seat in two easy steps? The possibilities will be endless to cater to an increasingly demanding consumer.
Alternative power sources for vehicles are becoming ever more popular. Government incentives will eventually force all but the super-rich into environmentally friendly cars, no problem. Then, fuel cell cars will be just as rapid as their fossil fuel counterparts but with none of the mess or stench. However, it may take some convincing to get a ‘petrol head’ to put down his pistol and pick up a proton exchange membrane cathode; it’s just not the same. Eventually, ordinary conventional fuel cars will become classics and extremely sought after by collectors, but not for a long time.
