The rapid growth of technology is quickly changing many aspects of our daily lives, including the way we get from point A to point B. Emerging vehicle technologies could drastically improve the driving experience in the near future. While many of these innovations may not be available for a few more years, car enthusiasts should be excited at what the future could hold for the automotive industry.
Biometrics
Biometric technology has already become a part of daily life, as most modern smartphones use biometrics in their fingerprint and facial recognition technologies. Over the past few years, many new vehicles have integrated smart technologies like sensors, WiFi, and automated door locks, ignition, and lighting. Biometrics can offer more precise control over automated features and stronger security for drivers.
Here are some exciting biometric technologies that have started to appear in new vehicles or are expected to debut soon:
Fingerprint Sensors
Keyless entry has been around in the auto industry for several years now in the form of smart keys, but fingerprint sensors provide motorists with an even easier and much more secure keyless system. Fingerprint sensors first appeared in 2018 and can be used to unlock doors and for starting the vehicle.
Facial Recognition
Facial recognition technology can protect car owners from vehicle theft and be used to provide a more personalized, safer driving experience. These systems remember drivers and can be used to unlock the vehicle. Additionally, car owners can set specific permissions and restrictions for other drivers and set preferred car settings, such as playing a specific radio station or setting the heat or air conditioning to a certain temperature.
Iris Recognition
United States auto parts manufacturer Gentex has developed technology that uses an infrared sensor to identify a driver by their iris. This technology can be used to help motorists drive more safely.
The sensor can detect when the driver becomes distracted and call their attention back to the road. It can also provide personalized features tailored to the driver’s driving style and preferences, including navigation options, music, and cashless payment systems.
These biometric technologies are expected to continue growing in popularity in future vehicle models. The field of biometrics is constantly developing. It is exciting to think about how these and other biometric technologies could improve the safety of our roadways, as well as provide a more comfortable driving experience for motorists.
Self-Driving Features
Auto industry engineers have been working towards developing safe self-driving cars for several decades, but truly autonomous vehicles have yet to hit the market. Self-driving cars have the potential to change the world, but there are still some complications that have not been accounted for.
Certain human aspects of the driving experience, such as making eye contact with other motorists before letting them pass, cannot be replicated with this technology. However, several vehicles have self-driving features that can greatly enhance the motorist experience, such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings and lane-centering assistance, and automatic emergency braking.
As the industry continues developing self-driving technology, more refined versions of these and other systems are expected to be developed. Additionally, while the technology for safe full self-driving vehicles may not be available quite yet, this could change in the future.
Smart Helmets
Motorcyclists can also benefit from technological innovations. Smart helmets offer next-gen features that help keep bikers and all other motorists safe. Some of the most common features found in today’s smart helmets include:
– Turn signals and taillights
– Bluetooth connectivity to smartphones and other smart devices
– Connectivity to other smart helmets and motorcyclists
– Voice assistance
– Heads-up display (HUD)
– GPS connectivity
– Navigation systems
– Accident detection and automatic 911 calls
When used effectively, these features could help motorcyclists drive safer and smarter, reducing the risk of an accident and enhancing the riding experience.
Solar-Powered Vehicles
Vehicles entirely powered by solar technology have mostly just been built for specific solar car races. However, solar power as a form of supplemental energy is an emerging next-gen technology that has been integrated into consumer vehicles.
Rooftop solar panels can convert sunlight into electricity, which can be used to recharge the batteries of electric and hybrid vehicles. Car solar panels do not generate a ton of electricity at this point, but this could change as the technology continues to be developed.
Vehicles with solar power features can be found in both mid-range and luxury options. Some of the cars with solar panels on the market today include:
– Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (since 2017)
– Hyundai Sonata (since 2020)
– Nissan Leaf (2010-2017 models)
– Audi A8 (2010-2017 models)
Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) Communication
Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication has the potential to revolutionize safe driving. V2V technology allows vehicles to send information to each other wirelessly using software and safety applications.
These messages can be used to predict and prevent collisions by sending alerts to warn drivers, allowing them to avoid potential crashes. This exciting technology could save lives and prevent countless drivers from suffering serious injuries in preventable car accidents.
