Over the years there has been a large investment in car technology due to how life changing it will be. Currently there are a number of factors that put people off learning to drive, including tricky parking and busy traffic. But these issues may be distant memories if the following technologies are introduced in everyday vehicles.
It’s important to remember that these technologies aren’t expected to be added anytime soon. There are both major and minor risks which need to addressed before the public will ever see an official release. We will focus on a number of different car technologies that are being worked on extensively, but with difficulties that still need to be ironed out.
Hydrogen Fuel
For years scientists have been working towards developing a sustainable fuel source. Petrol and diesel are fossil fuels that aren’t only bad for the environment, but a finite resource. Although electric vehicles have increased in numbers they still aren’t the most efficient option due to them requiring regular charging.
This has led to extensive research on hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. It’s an exciting concept due to the only two by-products being water and heat. The process works by converting hydrogen into electricity, which in turn powers the engine. Already Chevrolet and BMW have concept models that drive just like traditionally fuelled cars.
Although it may seem like a dream come true, it isn’t as simple as you may think. There is certainly no shortage of hydrogen in the world, but this gas can often be difficult to store - especially considering that hydrogen is highly flammable. As a result, these vehicles must be installed with high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks. They are safe and highly efficient, but can often be very expensive to replace -- so this is often seen as a potential downside of owning a hydrogen vehicle.
Vehicle fueling is also fairly complicated. Currently the refilling infrastructure present around the world supports fossil fuel vehicles, and in some cases there are electric charging points. But to build an infrastructure that can deal with a high demand of hydrogen vehicles will potentially cost millions of pounds.
Autonomous Cars
Definitely one of the most interesting additions to this list, the autonomous car has been breaking news headlines for years. It would mean people will no longer need to physically drive a vehicle because an onboard computer will do all the work. Google was one of the first to develop this technology, and now Mercedes-Benz and Ford have begun to conduct their own test experiments.
Just by looking at the benefits it’s easy to see why there’s so much excitement which we’ll discuss now. Car economy would be considerably better, road traffic accidents would be less frequent and traffic flow could be smoother. All of these points would get any motorist eager to see this technology introduced, but there are still some fairly important problems to fix.
If there’s an accident, who gets blamed? Can a vehicle be on the road without anyone behind the wheel, or is it considered illegal? If a car is broken down in the road, will the onboard computer see it as an obstruction or traffic? These are just a handful of concerns that need to be considered first.
There’s also the customer base to think about - will they actually want to give up the experience of driving? Vehicles will be reduced to automatic chauffeurs which may appeal to some people, but to others there’s nothing worse. Driving is an enjoyable experience that provides most people with their first sense of freedom -- why would they want to give this up?
Solar Power Fuel
Another alternative to conventional fuel resources is the sun. As it’s a renewable energy source, there’s little reason why it shouldn't be utilized. Following the concept similar to the type seen on buildings, it involves attaching a solar panel to the roof of a car.
It works by converting solar energy into electricity which keeps the engine running. There are some models that don’t have a battery, instead running entirely on solar, whereas others are normally supplemented.
There are a number of problems which need to be fixed before this technology can be commercially sold. The issue arises when it comes to the weather. If in a season where there isn’t a large amount of sunlight, owners of this type of car won’t be able to get decent mileage.
This type of solar panel isn’t as sophisticated as what we normally see. A solar powered car needs to be in the sun nearly all the time to be effective. If a driver encounters a tunnel, issues will instantly arise.
Car-To-Car Communication
Although humans have numerous hands free devices to communicate with each other, the next step is software that allow vehicles to send messages to each other. This isn’t like a conversation or text message, instead it works by allowing drivers to be even safer on the road. It allows people to be notified about obstructions or conditions of the road ahead to allow for appropriate preparation time.
One of the most impressive aspects is how it reacts to vehicles slowing down without hitting the brakes. Your car will instantly detect this and a symbol will appear. Rear end shunts are a common accident, so adding this technology will help avoid this from happening.
The main issue is cost. It’s predicted that it won’t be implemented in normal vehicles, leaving it as an exclusive for more expensive luxury cars. Additionally, the digital age creates a number of problems.
Protection of information is a real issue that affects a lot of people. If information containing locations you visit is sold on to a third party, it could mean you receive spam messages on a regular basis.
The Future of Car Technology and the Risks Involved
By looking over the technologies featured in this article, it’s easy to see that there’s a number of exciting developments that will truly change how we drive on the road. As with any new form of tech, extensive research and development needs to be carried out before it will ever be released.
We’re hopeful that car manufacturers are capable enough to make what was previously thought as a concept, reality.
Chris Taylor writes on behalf of The Tilsun Group, the vehicle leasing professionals.
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