Over the past few decades, the world has seen several changes in automobiles scene. In fact, what we know as modern day vehicles today is far different from what they looked like in the late 19th century when steam powered vehicles were a thing. With the current advancement in technology, every sector of the human world is revolving around these modern discoveries and the automobile industry is not left out as we can clearly see development in this sector with the focus on the use rather than the production of vehicles.
The goal of all of this is to make the lives of individual users more better and safer. Most of these changes are driven by scientific inventions, technological advancements, economic shifts, environmental trends, and regulatory developments. Let’s now take a dive into the automobile industry and see what’s happening in 2020.
The introduction of Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Starting from the early 19th century, the problem of global warming has become more and more of a threat as the days pass. Many solutions have been developed and many others are still being developed to curb this menace. One of these solutions is the invention of Electric Vehicles (EVs). EVs do not produce any local greenhouse gas emissions as do vehicles which run on gasoline. As a result they are viewed as an essential part of any global strategy for the mitigation of climate change. This “green” factor explains the increasing demand for EVs as is the case with the rise in the number of charging stations and improvements in vehicle range. Government incentives for the adoption of electric consumer vehicles in countries such as China, India and Japan is further aiding this trend. European countries have announced plans to phase out diesel and gasoline engines by 2030.
Over the past few years, findings have shown that several EV features can improve safety. EVs tend to have a lower centre of gravity that makes them less likely to roll over. They can also have a lower risk for major fires or explosions. Needless to say, the body construction and durability of EVs may make them safer in the event of a collision.
The Rise of Autonomous Vehicle
Autonomous vehicles also called connected autonomous vehicle (CAV), drive less vehicles, robo cars, are vehicles that are capable of sensing their environment and moving safely with little or no human input. So they are neither subject to mistakes nor poor driving experience from the driver’s end. This has been one of the ground breaking technologies in the automobile industry and is being adopted in several countries of the world.
Self-driving cars combine a variety of sensors to perceive their surroundings, such as radar, lidar, sonar, GPS, odometry and inertial measurement units. Advanced control systems interpret sensory information to identify appropriate navigation paths, as well as obstacles and relevant signage.
Driving Aids
We are entering an era of automation. The global community continually aims at a world where devices are seamlessly interconnected. As a result, the market is seeing increased penetration of advanced vehicle safety systems. Hence, the need for vehicle driving aids in order to reduce risk on the road and also make drivers much more comfortable. The use of such vehicular automation can assist the driver in the best possible way by reducing his/her mental stress.
With the rise in technical advancement, we see many of these new aids being developed in regular devices such as mobile phones. Talking about mobile phones, various apps are being developed which connect phones to vehicles and help perform certain features that aid the drivers stay safe on the road.
Recently a new application known as !important was developed for automobile in order to aid driving, as this mobile app in a way reduce the risk of road side accident and ensures safety for motorists and pedestrian on the highway. The app is well built with specific functions such as creating a virtual Protection Zone around each individual via their mobile device.
The app also communicates the user’s location to all nearby certified automated vehicles.This in turn, helps the driver to be extra careful as he is easily warned about pedestrians on the highway and also vehicles nearby. The app’s data augments the vehicle’s sensor to ensure that the pedestrian is recognized and tracked to prevent any collisions.
This kind of innovation is very necessary at a time as this where our roads are not only unsafe but driving has become quite tideous for many people especially as it concerns obeying laws of road safety.
Conclusion
Everything is changing; including the way we do most traditional things such as driving a car or communicating with people. Whether or not we adapt to the changes may seem optional, but these changes won’t stop coming. They are inevitable. In order to not get left behind, we must change too!