Many people tend to focus on what’s under the hood when checking out a car that caught their attention. But it’s also important to take note of the technology you can find in the car. The technology you can find in vehicles are innovative and are designed to make driving safer for both the driver and pedestrians.
These innovations range from smart device integration to driver assistance as well as driverless vehicles. Even as some of them have yet to become available in the market, many automobile companies are actively working to have them out in the market as soon as possible.
Here are some tech innovations in the automobile industry
Advanced Driver Assistance System
The Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) is an electronic system that helps drivers react quickly to hazards on the road. It also reduces driver fatigue and makes driving safer for everybody. Aside from keeping people safe by avoiding collisions, the system was also designed to reduce energy consumption.
The technology is already available in several automobile brands. The features may vary from one car brand to another. But if you’re looking for a model with the system, you should also check if the system has adaptive cruise control that allows your vehicle to travel at a set speed but can accelerate or slow down to ensure it stays within a safe distance from another car that may be in front of you.
You can also check if the system features a blind-spot alert to let you know if there’s another car coming in from your blind spot. Additionally, a lane departure feature warning is useful for tired people after a long drive, so they’ll be alerted when their car drifts from their lane.
Self-Driving Cars
If the ADAS piqued your interest, then self-driving or autonomous cars will likely put you on your toes. While these cars have may have been in the market for some time already, a fully autonomous car has yet to enter the market. The companies that are currently developing a self-driving car are Tesla and Waymo of Google.
But the technology has faced several stumbling blocks that have delayed its release into the market. These stumbling blocks include the sensors. The sensors work perfectly on a sunny day. But they may not function accurately when the weather takes a turn for the worse. The system itself should also prepare the car for open-road driving. In these instances, it may encounter things it hasn’t encountered before.
So, the vehicle developers still have a lot of work to do before a fully autonomous vehicle reaches the roads. But if the technology develops further, it may reach a point where the cars may even drive themselves up the trucks of flatbed companies before they are transported across the country.
Full Mobile Device Integration
With nearly everyone owning a mobile device, it’s only logical for car manufacturers to integrate these devices into the car’s system. Currently, smart gadgets are already synced with the vehicles with the most basic features, including connecting to the vehicle’s entertainment system.
But some manufacturers have taken it a step further by allowing car owners to unlock and lock the doors of their cars remotely and start the car using their mobile devices. This is quite useful for people who want to warm up their car before heading off to work on a cold winter morning.
Additionally, some cars allow their owners to check the fuel status of their car using a mobile device. Others also allow them to turn on the headlights or sound off the horns even if they are not inside the vehicle.
Even as concerns were raised about the safety of using mobile devices to control a vehicle, manufacturers are also working continuously to keep their vehicles safe. They installed several security measures to deter anyone apart from the owner from taking control of a car.
360-Degree Camera
A rearview mirror camera helps you back up into a parking space or your driveway. But a camera with a 360-degree view allows you to see all sides of your car and not just the back. Aside from avoiding rear collisions, you can also avoid dents or scratches on the side using cameras on all sides of the car.
The cameras combine with technology that allows you to see a virtual view of the areas around your car. It shows you the parking lines on the side as you park in from of the grocery. The technology is also quite useful while parallel parking.
The developments in automotive technology are expected to continue making the roads safer for drivers worldwide.