Technology is changing everything about our society, and the automotive industry isn’t an exception. This year we will continue to see changes in the industry that will impact how we move from one place to another. The end goal is always creating vehicles that offer a better user experience, more safety, and more efficiency. Here are some of the technologies at play in 2021:
Self-Driving and Autonomous Features
Since the invention of the car, we have come to love and need, many changes have happened. Vehicles for transportation have evolved to be safer, faster, and more accessible to the public. New technological developments have also made our jobs easier by improving the way we transport ourselves and other things.
One of the most powerful technologies we as humans have come up with is artificial intelligence. Companies are using artificial intelligence in the automotive industry, along with many other technologies like sensors and other hardware, to create vehicles with self-driving features.
These self-driving features are already a reality in many of the newer models from many companies. Things like self-parking, autopilot, breaking, and accelerating are things that cars can do on their own. But automotive companies are aiming to deliver the first autonomous vehicles as soon as possible.
An autonomous vehicle is one that can do all the driving by itself without the intervention of a human. Many companies have prototypes, but we haven’t seen a functional model in the market yet. This could change soon, but before this happens, we have to create more powerful technology in terms of connectivity.
Electrification
Another thing that technology is changing in the automotive industry is electrification. Traditional cars are powered by gas, which we have realized isn’t renewable energy, and the emission does more harm to the environment. That’s why electrification is becoming the best solution to solve the pollution issue.
This means transforming the industry with electric cars. Electric cars have come a long way and now can be very efficient and offer a great experience to the user. For example, the Tesla S model has a battery life of 402 miles. That is enough to go from New York to Montreal, Canada, without recharging the battery.
This is the future of the automotive industry even when many companies are still resisting the change. What also has to happen to make electric vehicles the best solution for our society is that the electricity we use to charge our vehicles also comes from renewable sources. Hopefully, this would happen sooner than later.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is when we see digital objects mixed with the real world. In the case of the automotive industry, it can be used to enhance the user experience by adding AR features to vehicles. Things like AR dashboards already exist in some models. These allow drivers to see the information they need without having to take their eyes from the road because the data is projected on the windshield.
Another thing that AR will change is the way we buy cars. Right now, we may start our search online, seeing pictures and everything, or going directly to the dealership. Even if we see some car we like online, we go to the dealership anyways to see it for ourselves. With AR, customers will be able to see the car in their driveway and even take it for test runs without actually touching the vehicle, thanks to advanced computer science technologies.
3D Printing
3D Printing has been around for a few years now, and it has made a huge change in the automotive industry. The biggest impact is in the manufacturing industry. Companies can now 3D print specific parts or complete models a lot faster than with traditional methods. It also allows engineers to build cars with lighter and more resistant materials.
This technology makes the manufacturing process cheaper and more scalable. In the future, we could be using vehicles that were completely 3D printed. Technology advances more every year, and new materials are included in the realm of possibilities.
In Summary
The automotive industry is one of the most critical parts of our society. We use cars, buses, or trucks every day. And we always want to make it more enjoyable, efficient, and safe for us. Artificial intelligence, electric power, augmented reality, and 3D printing is just some of the many technologies changing the automotive industry.