Modern cars are good but not perfect. In this regard, each owner of such a vehicle will name several technologies of the future that he lacks today. All of them have the potential to make cars more versatile, safe, comfortable and more accessible to drive. Let’s look at the valuable technologies everyone is looking forward to and try to identify the most important of them.
Autonomy Levels 3 & 4
Every year, humanity gradually approaches complete autonomy in transport. This process is quite long, but the desired result will be achieved one day. So far, the maximum level 5 of independence is still far away, but today, you can dream of 3 or even 4. The third level also requires a person to perform specific actions. In this case, the car will take on most of the work. The driver will only need to monitor the situation and, if necessary, make certain adjustments to the control process. A more advanced fourth level of autonomy will also be achievable shortly. It is characterized by driving, in which a person intervenes only if such a desire exists. The main difference from the third level is the longer duration of autonomous vehicle movement.
The desire of drivers to obtain such technology today is easily explained by the desire to expand the boundaries of what is permissible. In particular, if you have a driverless car, you can drive even while intoxicated and not be afraid of a hefty fine. Also, level 3 and 4 autonomy will help reduce the number of accidents to a minimum and increase road safety. These days, people have not yet taught a car how to behave in certain situations, the number of which can be counted in the millions. Nevertheless, work in this direction is being carried out as actively as possible, and its results will become noticeable within a few years.
Recognition Of A Car Owner Based On Biometric Data
Many modern gadgets use technology to identify the user using his biometric data. By scanning their face, fingerprint or retinal pattern, users can block unauthorized persons from accessing information stored on the device. This is very convenient and simple, but this technology is practically not used in cars yet. In this regard, many modern drivers dream of mass production of vehicles in which to open doors or start the engine; it will be enough to put a finger on the sensor or show your face. Theoretically, using user identification based on his biometric data, you can block access to various car controls, luggage compartments and much more.
The main reason this technology is not actively being implemented in modern cars is its insufficient operation efficiency. Even a little contamination of the sensor or camera is enough to cause a failure and leave you outside the car. Problems may also arise with identifying vehicle owners at night. Of course, it is possible to solve such problems, but this will waste precious time. Therefore, today, many people prefer to use standard methods of opening doors, starting the engine, and putting off new products for the future. In the next few years, there is a high probability that the performance of biometric driver identification technology will improve and become more in demand among automakers than it is today.
Solid State Batteries
These days, most electric cars use lithium-ion batteries. They have several significant disadvantages, and their production process hurts the environment. In this regard, many drivers today want to get at least some alternative. Lithium-ion batteries have no equivalent replacement yet, but it will appear shortly. Car manufacturers place great hopes on the so-called solid-state battery technology. Electric vehicles could have 2-3 times more energy storage. However, the battery dimensions will remain the same as before. Also, the new development will significantly reduce the charging time, one of the main problems with electric cars today.
It is possible to implement ideas for creating solid-state batteries today, but it will cost several hundred million dollars. Despite this, many automakers believe in the technology and invest vast amounts of money in its development. Large financial injections will likely make it possible to improve existing results and significantly reduce the cost of producing solid-state batteries. However, one should not expect significant changes in the coming years. Today, the authors of projects related to this technology are optimistic. They claim that in the future, solid-state batteries will make it possible to charge an electric car in less than a minute and guarantee it a power reserve of 1,000 kilometers or more.
Fully Active Suspension
When buying vehicles in car dealerships or online auctions where damaged cars are for sale and models with other defects, people often pay attention to the suspension. It is on its features that the car’s stability on the road, controllability and smoothness depends. Today’s drivers lack fully active suspension technology, which could use sensor information to adapt the vehicle’s position to any road conditions. The presence of such a suspension would turn any trip into the most comfortable experience, during which you could keep a full glass of water in the cabin and not be afraid that the liquid would spill out of it.
Today, many well-known automakers are testing their active suspensions and even installing them on some modern models. However, so far, the results have been far from ideal. To achieve the desired effect, solving several complex problems simultaneously will be necessary. The main one is the lack of forecasting efficiency, which causes the suspension elements to react late to various obstacles on the road or not notice them at all. A solution to this and other problems should be found shortly. Artificial intelligence and other modern developments can significantly help in this matter. If significant progress is not achieved, making drivers’ dreams come true will be extremely difficult.
Fast Charging Of Electric Car Batteries
Electric cars have not yet become extremely popular solely because of their shortcomings. The main one is the long battery charging period. Because of this, owners of such vehicles are forced to waste much time waiting until the charge percentage reaches at least 80%. In this regard, many drivers say that they already do not have enough batteries to be charged in a couple of minutes. Many well-known companies are actively working to solve this problem. So far, they can only boast of minor successes, but the situation will improve shortly.
The most promising idea is the wireless charging of an electric car battery. This technology will be approximately the same as wireless phone charging, which is becoming more popular yearly. Theoretically, you can copy her work and recreate something similar on the scale of an electric car charging station. However, to implement such an idea, it will be necessary to solve many complex problems and find investors willing to risk their money to complete the ambitious project. Some of the boldest experts suggest that in the future, people can charge an electric car’s battery on the go. It is not yet obvious how this will be implemented. Still, such a solution could forever save humanity from the problem of queues at charging stations and the loss of a considerable amount of precious time.
Shortly, cars will be very different from those we see today. This will happen thanks to the use of new technologies in their work. They will make each model more versatile, comfortable, safe and easy to operate. Such technologies are already being developed today, so we won’t have long to wait for significant changes.
