Can you imagine a car without brakes? Does your mind automatically catapult to the intro song of The Flintstones? Funnily enough you do not need to think back to the Stone Age, since the automobile was only invented in 1885. And the brakes came as an add-on in 1901. It may have taken the innovators six years to understand the importance of brakes, but the automobile industry has seen a number of innovations and technological advancements in the last few years that the inventors could not have ever dreamed of.
Let us explore a few of the jaw-dropping automobile technologies that have completely changed the way we look at our cars. The 2016 Consumer Electronics Show has brought forth some of the most astounding technologies of this era, which we will soon see on the streets.
i. A Transformable Steering Wheel
When Nissan revealed its new self-driving concept car the world saw a new reality. The IDS is equipped with a steering wheel that transforms into a tablet when it goes into auto-pilot mode. Although there are no plans to bring this car into mass production, this is a glimpse of a future where car interiors can alter according to the necessities of the driver.
ii. A Car at Your Command
In an era when you can voice control your microwave, why can't you simply ask your car to lock its doors too? This question is being answered by Volvo. Volvo users can now use a Microsoft Band 2 to make their cars lock doors, turn on the seat warmers, turn on the air conditioning, reprogram the navigation, flash the headlights and even sound the horn. This technology is set to come to mass production this spring (2016).
iii. In-Car Conference in a Merc
Mercedes-Benz unveiled its new car design with motorised lounge chairs. These can be rotated 180 degrees to allow face-to-face conversations between the passengers. In fact this is a marvellous way to encourage driverless car concepts, where the one in front of the steering wheel will also be able to take part in a conversation while the car runs in autopilot mode.
iv. Control Your Ride with Holographic Dashboard
Within the next five years Porsche will come up with a technology that will allow the driver to control the car by accessing a holographic dashboard. It was previewed in an all-electric concept car rumoured to have the potential to charge in just 15 minutes for a 250-mile trip. A plethora of new technologies are part of this concept car and it includes eye-tracking technology to prevent potential accidents.
v. Parallel Parking is No Longer a Challenge
If you are afraid to take your car out for the want of parallel parking in shopping centres and open air parking spaces, then worry no more. While driverless cars are about to hit the market with a bang, Mitsubishi has taken care of the pains of parallel parking for all. A new concept car from Mitsubishi is equipped with sensors and cameras in all possible directions to allow the automated system parallel park for you.
vi. Now Stay In Sync With Your Ride
Ford has launched the SYNC connect software, which will allow owners to stay in touch with their cars. From locating a parked car in a packed car park, to checking fuel levels, you can do almost anything from your mobile or tablet that is synced with the app. This can be first used by Ford Escape owners in the USA and by 2020 Ford aspires to expand its reach to 10 million customers all over the world.
Promoted by Ashwin Iyer - 23 Mar 2016
