The Influence of Smart Car Technologies on Drivers

Technology continues to have a significant impact on our lives. Various industries are introducing innovations to make life easier. All industries strive to innovate to ensure they roll with the times. New revolutionary releases are happening every week or so.

The car industry, in particular, has seen its fair share of technological advancements. With new advancements, car manufacturers are trying to stay up to date, and rightly so.

It would be detrimental to the business model if a manufacturer were left behind in light of these innovations. It’s essential to understand the influence of innovative car technologies on drivers.

Self-Driving Cars

Leading automotive companies like Audi and Tesla are developing the technology for self-driving cars.

While there have been concerns about the safety of self-driving technology the end goal is to eliminate driver error. This will create a safer and more reliable way to travel.

An example of this technology is the Google Self-Driving Car project initiated in 2009 and rebranded as Waymo. When the system is fully functional, all you will need to do is order a Waymo on an app, and a self-driving car will pick you up and drive you to wherever you’re going. This is likely to be highly safe and comfortable.

Embracing self-driving cars right now may not be realistic. However, this technology will likely be commonplace in the next few years.

AR Dashboard Displays

It won’t be surprising to see the development of an augmented reality dashboard. This technology will provide all the information you could require to enhance your driving experience.

AR will display any information you may need to know about the car itself. They’ll also give you other important information about the road, for example, how fast you’re approaching another car, collision-avoidance technology, and much more.

Inter-Car Communication

Today, cars that are connected online are relatively common. Most of the cars we drive have internet connectivity. However, soon these internet-enabled cars will have the ability to communicate. These will transform our driving experience.

Inter-car communication will introduce driving precision that human error has never allowed us to achieve. This will prevent collisions and accidents. Before a collision occurs, the car-car communication system will predict the accident and alert the drivers of the potential consequence. The drivers will then be able to react fast and avoid the accident.

Automatic License Plate Recognition

Also known as Automatic Number Plate Recognition is a widely used technology for vehicle management operations like ticketless parking, tolling, ITS, stolen vehicles detection, road safety surveillance, smart billing, and more.

The system works on real-time Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to help in finding license plate number of vehicles accurately. It combines hardware and software with sophisticated computer vision and machine learning to analyze live feed and capture the number plate and car model.

Introducing this software on the road will promote safe driving as drivers are aware they’re being watched. It’ll also make various systems seamless, for example, parking (off-street and on-street).

3D Gesture Technology

With the way technology advances, we’ll be able to use our hands less and less. Just picture changing gears or winding down your car windows with a simple wave of your hand. Soon, you’ll have the ability to control various elements in your car with just gestures.

Even with this technology seeming futuristic and fun, this tech is set to make driving easier and safer. Instead of jabbing at a button all around your car or being tempted to reach out for your phone, you’ll soon be able to perform various commands like picking an incoming call, turning in the radio, and more with just a gesture.

This means you’ll never have to take your eyes off the road, and you won’t divert your concentration. In the end, 3D gesture technology will make driving convenient and safe.

Automated Parking Systems

For people who are tired of searching for parking spaces to squeeze into, you’ll be happy to know that the development of automated parking systems is well underway.

Parktronic systems that allow drivers to find parking spaces and navigate to them already exist. However, with new infrastructure around automated parking systems expected, the future is bright for people who dislike parking.

This infrastructure will allow you to drop off the car at a garage’s entrance, and then your car will venture off to find its own parking space. What about when you’re ready to be reunited with your ride? One tap on an app will signal your car that it’s time to venture back to the drop-off point.

Full Integration With Phones and Smartwatches

We’ve witnessed a considerable integration between our vehicles and smart gadgets in recent years. This trend is set to continue, with more innovations coming up.

Recent technological advancements have seen popular car manufacturers like Hyundai pair up with the Android Wear app. This allows you to perform several commands from your smartwatch. From your watch, you can:

• Start and stop your car engine remotely.
• Lock your car’s doors.
• Sound your horn.
• Turn the headlights on or off.

What’s more, built-in integration with apps will become a must with new car models. Many car manufacturers are increasingly producing models that allow the integration of popular apps into the infotainment system, making it look identical to the usual screen on your phone.

Custom-Designed Cars

If you’re a lover of bespoke items, this will intrigue you: a car designed by the manufacturer to your specifications. The concept is 3D printing technology where the manufacturer produces a car to suit whatever design and engine you pick. As far as cars go, it’s a unique way to express your style.

This concept allows you to marry various car features together to get a tailor-made car that reflects your personality. This will give you the optimum performance you’re looking for and the aesthetics to match.

3D printing technology is already used in the automotive industry for body kits and panels. Soon, manufacturers will leverage this technology to create even more car body parts. Some of the companies that are pioneers in this technology include McLaren, BMW, and Daihatsu.

Cars With Energy-Storing Body Panels

Hybrid cars are the next big thing. However, the problem with these cars is the heavyweight of lithium-ion batteries required to operate. They usually take up too much space, and this is a challenge.

For this reason, researchers are looking for technology that allows cars to have energy-storing body panels. This will save on energy and space. It will eliminate the need for Li-ion batteries while performing the same purpose.

After replacing them with energy-storing body panels, the car’s weight may reduce by 15%, making it easier for drivers to handle their cars.

Compared to old car batteries, these will charge faster and be made of polymer fiber and carbon resin, solid materials for cars.

Last Words

Are you prepared for a new way of driving and doing things while riding? In the next 5-10 years, car manufacturers will have made it possible for you to get the best out of your driving experience.

Whether it’s an innovation for communicating cars or 3D gesture systems, each of the above smart car driving technologies will revolutionize the automotive industry and give you maximum pleasure and comfort while you’re driving.

Author’s Bio

Patrick Peterson is a content manager at GoodCar. Born and raised in the automotive world, he’s an enthusiastic expert who writes exquisite content pieces about everything regarding cars and bikes.