Over the last ten years, technology has advanced at an alarming rate. From smart devices to the internet of things (IoT), technology is revolutionizing the way we live, work, and communicate. The cars we drive are also becoming increasingly advanced, and it won’t be long before they are driving themselves. Below is the latest smart tech found in automotive vehicles.
Driver Assist
One of the best automotive technologies of the 21st century is driver assist technology. Many manufacturers have installed tech that can sense and react to road hazards, driver fatigue, and traffic issues. For example, some cars are programmed to know if a driver is drifting off the road. In these cases, a small alarm will sound, or the steering wheel will vibrate to wake the driver up.
Other things that driver-assist technology helps with include:
- Adaptive cruise control: this keeps your car at a set speed, but it will automatically slow down or accelerate to keep safe distances between other cars.
- Blind spot alert: this lets you know if a car or object is in your blind spot.
- Cross-traffic alert: sensors on modern cars will let you know if there is cross traffic when you’re reversing out of a parking spot or driveway.
- Brake assist: this lets you know if there is an object behind your car while backing up (a common cause of accidents).
Emergency Braking
Another helpful safety feature in modern vehicles is emergency braking. Sensors in the car will automatically activate your brakes if it senses that there is an impending collision. Or, if you are aware of the collision but haven’t braked quickly enough, the car will also take over and brake sooner. This type of feature is incredibly useful for drivers who might be slightly impaired, whether through age or physical disability or from other issues such as sleepiness or distracted driving.
App Integration
For many years now, vehicles have begun integrating technology from phone apps and other smart tech like Alexa. This means that drivers can pair their phones with their cars and keep track of things like oil and tire pressure, engine health, as well as play their favorite songs. On the horizon is more advanced tech that allows remote functions such as engine starting and stopping, door locking/unlocking, and turning the headlights on/off.
Gesture Technology
While this technology is still in development, cars of the near future will be equipped with systems that allow the driver to make commands simply by moving their hands. Known as 3D gesture technology, these new systems will allow drivers to open and close windows, change the car temperature, or make phone calls by waving their hands. To search for the newest cars with technology like this, sites like Divicars can help.
Automated Parking
Finding a parking spot can be an enormous chore, especially on a busy day. One of the newest incoming technologies will allow cars to communicate with parking lot systems. This means that before you even start looking for an empty spot, your car will be able to talk to the parking lot and identify where a free space is. Outside the public lot, this technology will allow cars to memorize a person’s parking spot at home or at their place of work. Gone will be the days of driving around endlessly to find your spot of choice!
