When it comes to the automotive industry, people often make a mistake of believing that tech trends are there to merely affect the performance of the vehicle. We’re talking about factors like speed, vehicle stability, and fuel economy, when, in reality, there’s much more to it. Some pieces of technology significantly add to the overall driving experience, while others tend to make you a lot safer.
On the other hand, there are some trends that are there to change the way in which you see the automotive industry as a whole. Here are several tech trends that are changing the automotive industry.
1. Self-driving car
Lastly, we come to the semi-futuristic notion of self-driving cars and all the numerous perks that this brings. First of all, these vehicles are programmed so that they adhere to the law as much as possible and, since about 40 percent of accidents are caused by the abuse of drugs and alcohol, it becomes more than clear how this feature increases safety.
Same as cruise control, self-driving cars reduce fuel consumption. That way they eliminate the idea of hunting for parking (your car already knows all the vacant spots) and increases highway capacity. All in all, self-driving cars are a massive leap forward.
While some of these changes affect the industry as a whole, others bear significance for the individual user. Sure, in terms of ROI, it’s sometimes easy to quantify the amount of money that a certain trend saves. Nonetheless, when it comes to the safety boost and environmental benefits, things are a lot blurrier. Still, seeing as how the change is always a positive one, it seems as if the automotive industry is always heading in the right direction.
2. Dashboard camera
Having a dashboard camera in your vehicle is a trend that provides you with a lot of legal insulation. For instance, using a direction indicator before making a turn is mandated by the law. Yet, if a person doesn’t do it and causes a crash for it, it’s nearly impossible to prove it. That is, unless you have a dash cam.
Some regions are notorious for the number of insurance frauds and you would be surprised at just how many people deliberately get into traffic accidents just so that they could earn a handful of dollars. With a dashboard camera, you’ll be able to protect yourself from them, at last. In Russia, there’s even a saying that you can hop into the car without your pants on but not without a dashboard camera attached.
3. Parking sensors
Even though there was something oddly satisfying about parking your car without the help of parking sensors, the truth is that it’s also dangerous and impractical. After all, why not use the clear advantage that you have, bringing the danger for your vehicle to a minimum.
Sure, bumping into another car while parking may take quite a bit of negligence. Scratching it is easier than you think and the end result is incredibly costly for such a tiny mistake. Investing in a parking sensor before such a problem occurs may help you save a small fortune.
4. Ordering parts online
One of the most important changes that the existence of the internet has introduced into our lives is the ability to save money by ordering parts online. Without this, we would either have to look for a supplier on our own, which would be impractical, even if we knew which parts to order.
Even this problem can be used with the proper leverage of the internet. Imagine a scenario where you wanted to buy quality hose fittings for your vehicle.
Nowadays, you can first download a car owner’s manual in order to check which hose you need to get and then, you can order a quality braided hose for your vehicle, or any other part for that matter.
5. Adaptive cruise control
The next feature worth considering is the adaptive cruise control that could potentially revolutionize the way in which you drive. First of all, you get to relax on the road. The longer the route is, the more difference this makes and you no longer have to keep your foot on the pedal. On an open road, it’s quite hard to resist the urge to increase the speed.
Yet, with cruise control, this will be out of option, which means that this trend adds to the overall driving safety. Finally, getting a vehicle with adaptive cruise control means that you get a more efficient fuel economy, making this piece of technology into a frugal one.
6. Alternative fuels
As the world we live in faces an imminent fuel crisis, we as a society are forced to look towards alternative fuels for an answer. We’re talking about solutions like ethanol, natural gas, electricity, and biodiesel. What you need to know about them is that each of these options has both positive and negative sides.
For instance, while electricity is highly efficient and avoids pollution due to combustion, the vast majority of electricity is generated through methods that leave a bad carbon footprint. Therefore, a lot of work needs to be done until an ideal solution is found.
