The Future of Automotive Tech: Innovations Driving Efficiency and Safety

In recent years, a slow transition toward driverless road transport has gotten underway. While it might be a few years until you can take your hands off the wheel and relax during a long drive, several innovations have already found their way into modern vehicles that can help to intervene at crucial moments, making the roads a safer place for everyone. Then there are technical innovations that make vehicles faster, more efficient, and more pleasant to drive.

But what do these innovations look like, and what might the future hold for the industry?

Advancements in Electric Vehicle (EV) Technology

Perhaps the most obvious change in recent years has been the arrival of the electric car, which has been pushed by manufacturers like Tesla. While key players in the industry might recently have expressed concerns that the timetable for electric car adoption has been longer than hoped, the fact that electric cars are the future, if not the present, is indisputable.

We can see this in the development of battery technology. Lithium-ion batteries are becoming more energy-dense and efficient. This has extended vehicle range, and made vehicles easier to charge. This has eliminated many of the barriers that make motorists hesitate before investing.

The government is investing heavily in charging infrastructure, which could make it easier to make the switch. It’s likely that when a certain number of electric vehicles are on the road, the costs of rolling out new charging stations will decrease.

Autonomous Driving Systems

In the future, advances in machine learning might make it possible for drivers to be dispensed with altogether. This might open up an entirely new model for ownership. You might have your car drive around on its own, picking up passengers when you aren’t using it. Or, you might elect to opt out of car ownership altogether.

These systems have already been extensively tested – and, in some parts of the world, they’re approved for use on certain public roads. Safety concerns, as well as driver redundancies, might provide a challenge for transport authorities. Despite this, it seems inevitable that driverless cars will be with us, sooner or later.

Connected Vehicle Technologies

Thanks to a network of devices called the ‘Internet of Things’, cars can report crucial data back to the manufacturer. This might include information on engine performance, stopping distance, and driver behaviour – all of which can be used to anticipate failures and improve subsequent designs.

In the future, this information might be used to communicate directly with the transport infrastructure. You might approach a junction and have your car communicate with all of the other approaching vehicles – so that everyone’s speed adjusts automatically to prevent a collision without any need for stopping.

Innovations in Vehicle Maintenance and Repair

The Internet of Things isn’t the only thing helping to make roads safer. Auto repair software is becoming more capable than ever, allowing mechanics and drivers to pinpoint performance issues more accurately, and to manage workflows, too. This will ultimately help to make services more cost-effective for service providers and road users alike.

Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS)

Other innovations fall into the assisted driving technology category. These allow cars to brake automatically, nudge vehicles back into lane, maintain a certain distance from the car in front, and provide warnings when the driver is showing signs of fatigue.

The major problem for ADAS uptake is a shortage of mechanics with the right skills to maintain them. As drivers come to rely on the safety features of their vehicle, any failure could spell disaster.