The future of the automobile has limitless potential, so just thinking about it can elicit giddy anticipation. From remote controlled parking to intelligent accelerators, a new adaptation is in the works for almost every detail of your car. Most of the technologies listed below have already been created or are nearing completion, meaning they could become available in the near future. It won’t be long before driving — if you even have to drive — becomes as low-maintenance, safe and easy as riding a bicycle.
1. Your car may be able to drive and fly: A list of predictions related to the future of cars wouldn’t be complete without pointing out the possible emergence of a flying car. It’s closer to happening these days, as Dutch manufacturer PA-V Europe has been perfecting the PAL-V One, which is a three-wheeled vehicle that’s capable of land and air travel. It seats one person, travels up to 125 mph on the ground, flies at 97 knots, climbs 800 feet per minute and has a range of 280 miles. Owners in both Europe and the States will be required to have sports aviation licenses before they operate the PAL-V One when it becomes available in the near future — 2011. If it proceeds as schedule, it may be the precursor of what can be achieved with flying cars.
2. Your car will have a remote controlled parking system: Before drivers become completely unnecessary, remote controlled parking will be a feature added to many models. Currently, BMW is in the process of refining the function, which it initially presented in 2006. The objective is to allow drivers to step out of their vehicle and let the car do the rest of the work. Activation of the automatic parking maneuver enables the car to autonomously park itself into a narrow garage using its sensor system. No longer will it be necessary for drivers to transform into Gumby in order to emerge from confined parking spaces.
3. Your car will still be slower than a hybrid Ferrari: Who said hybrid is a synonym for lame? In the near future, Ferrari plans to produce a hybrid supercar, the Hy-Kers, that’ll quench the need for performance while burning fuel efficiently and leaving a smaller footprint on the environment. The 599 GTB Fiorano was the inspiration for the design due to its low center of gravity that preserves interior space. Amazingly, the Hy-Kers’ motor weighs just 88 pounds, produces 111 horse power and enables the car to go zero to 60 in just 3.5 seconds. Ferrari’s knowledge of kinetic energy recovery systems, which is technology previously used in Formula 1 racing, was utilized in the design. The cost of making the Hy-Kers was high, so expect a price tag typical of your modern Ferrari and then some.
4. Your car will have intelligent tires: You may not fully appreciate the function of your car’s tires. Some people drive miles upon miles with insufficient air pressure or worn treads until they’re stranded alongside the road. But that could change in the coming years with the introduction of an intelligent tire, which comes equipped with sensors that measure pressure, g-force, temperature and load. Drivers are alerted if their tires detect a heavy load that requires a change in pressure. What’s more, they also alert the driver if the tread is wearing down, indicating that it’s time for a change. Their aptitude for recognizing different driving situations is remarkable, so the driver will know everything necessary in order to maximize the efficiency and safety of their car.
5. Your car will have an intelligent accelerator: Continental has developed an Accelerator Force Feedback Pedal (AFFP) that warns drivers of potential hazards and encourages fuel-efficient driving. Haptic feedback signals are used to assist the driver, changing the foot pressure from stiff to light. For example, when an upshift or downshift is needed, it can pulse twice. The benefit is that the drivers respond better to direct feedback from the pedal than with visual information, allowing them to maintain focus on their surroundings.
6. Your car will have an intelligent steering system: Safety will be enhanced with the addition of emergency steer assist systems that complements your emergency brake systems. Continental’s system kicks in when a car can no longer stop in time to avoid an accident, steering the car in a safer direction. It corresponds with the electric steering rack in order to adjust torque depending on the direction, and then indicates the appropriate steering motion. Continental asserts that because many vehicles are already equipped with the necessary accompanying technology, emergency steer assist can be implemented smoothly and inexpensively.
7. Your car will respond to traffic signals: We can again thank German ingenuity for this pending innovation. Audi is in the process of perfecting a traffic management system that’s a cog in the “car-to-x communication” movement, or Vehicle Infrastructure Integration initiative, which is described in the following list item. Signals are relayed from traffic lights to the car, informing the driver of the necessary speed to travel so that the next light turns green before they reach it, how long they need to wait before a red light switches to green, and when an approaching light turns yellow. The feature will be a saver of time and money for everyday drivers.
8. Your car will benefit from Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) : Researchers are currently developing technology that’ll make cars aware of their surroundings. With the combination of GPS navigation, advanced on-board computers, wireless communications and vehicle sensors, vehicles may be able to recognize threats on the roadway and alert drivers. Other useful information that could be relayed to the driver includes travel time and weather conditions, allowing drivers to efficiently plan their trips. Of course, you can already find weather and traffic reports using your GPS devices and phones, but the difference is that the operation of such gadgets must be initiated by you, which is dangerous when you’re driving.
9. Your car will take over if you become incapacitated: Autonomous driving is one step closer to becoming a reality thanks to BMW. In the future, when a driver becomes incapacitated, the car will assume their duties and move the car to a safe location away from traffic. The innovation is made possible by the integration of GPS systems and road vision from video cameras, which enabled the recently tested 5-series to identify its location and make a move based on its surrounding environment. Additionally, after the car has been pulled to safety, BMW Assist calls for medical assistance.
10. Your car won’t need a driver: Primitive versions of the driverless car have been constructed and tested since the 1970s, though some of the most impressive of those vehicles weren’t driven 100 percent autonomously. In recent years, efforts have been undertaken to build a capable driverless car for the consumer. General Motors announced in 2008 that they may have driverless cars on the road by 2018, which isn’t completely unachievable given the technology that has recently been developed and tested by Google — yes, that Google and BMW.
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