5 Technology Trends Driving the Automotive Industry

vehciles on road with text blurbs of various technology used

We’re a long way from the age where a phone could just make phone calls and a car was just another means of transportation. Unsurprisingly, the automotive industry has its eyes glued to these advancements and is constantly looking for ways to improve the very concept of owning and driving a vehicle. Here are 5 technology trends currently driving the automotive industry:

1. Adopting Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learnings still have some kinks that need to be addressed, but the potential is there, and it’s palpable. AI and ML make way for predictive automobile technology that can improve the driver’s experience in pretty much any way, from setting up vehicle customization based on the driver’s preference to apps created to signal to the car owner when a visit to the mechanic is in order.

2. Integration with Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistant AIs such as Amazon’s Alexa can be easily integrated with vehicles’ networks to remotely control some functions that would assist the driver. All of BMW’s cars produced after March 18, 2018, are already coming out of the factories with Alexa’s functionalities integrated, so it’s not a stretch to assume virtual assistance integration will become more and more prevalent in the following years.

3. Self-Driving Cars

Autonomous vehicles are already here, albeit there is still a bit of a hesitation when it comes to them from the general public and even government officials. These vehicles use different sensors, cameras, and other functionalities to drive themselves. Coupled with the use of predictive technology that would dictate the best course of action for the vehicle to make, the goal of these autonomous vehicles is to lower traffic rates and make the roads a safer place for everyone around. Whether we would ever live in a world where you’d only find autonomous vehicles is hard to predict, but companies are hard at work perfecting this technology and making it much more accessible.

4. GPS Tracking

GPS tracking has proven an essential feature in the automotive industry. It allows users to see the car’s whereabouts even in transit, in real-time. This has supported apps like Uber or Lyft as not only can the customer see exactly how far their ride is, but the GPS information can be shared with a third party for supervision, such as a parent wanting to keep an eye on their teenager’s ride.

5. V2V Communication

Vehicle-to-vehicle communication allows cars to essentially talk to other or other objects enabled to receive and send such messages, such as road signs (known as intelligent road signs). This again can help make life on the road a lot easier and safer, by lowering traffic and accident rates as the cars communicate with each other and act accordingly.

Final Thoughts

The automotive industry is in a constant search to improve itself and offer a better experience to drivers. Such advancements are exciting even for those less enthusiastic about the industry, and we can only wait and see what new technology brings next.