Things in the automotive industry have come a long way since Ford unveiled the Model T in 1908. Every year new models are getting more efficient, more comfortable, and more advanced as the industry innovates at a rapid pace. Auto manufacturers often unveil concept technologies that won’t come to market for many years, but they offer a glimpse into what we can expect in the future. Below is a round-up of the most exciting features on the horizon: 

 

Biometrics 

Automakers have already unveiled concept technology that will monitor and respond to the emotional and physical state of the driver in real time. In the next few years we should see this technology more and more. 

In 2018 a major auto manufacturer announced plans for future cars to read our brains to stop accidents. This will be done by reading brainwaves to anticipate driver actions and initiate them up to half a second faster than the driver could.  In 2021 another manufacturer presented a concept car that could convert the driver’s brain activity into real commands through a headset. 

In the future we may also see monitoring of heartbeats, facial expressions, breathing, and skin through cameras, radar sensors, and ultrasonic waves – there is no shortage of possibilities of amazing features that will be driven from these advancements. 

 

Digital Visor 

Put your sunglasses on. Take them off. Put down your visor. Put up your visor. Put your sunglasses back on. 

Sound familiar? Well, good news! Bosch is creating a digital visor that will sense and block out light that is impacting visibility. This visor is made with transparent LCD technology that will allow the panel to become shaded as the driver facing camera detects light. This will be a game changer for days where visibility changes quickly or for those who need to choose between sun protection and glasses. 

 

Color Changing 

In the future cars may have the ability to change colors at the press of a button. This will be possible thanks to a color-swapping e-ink paint containing micro-capsules filled with electrically charged pigments that can change color when the current is changed. 

This technology can be used to create not only new solid color paint jobs on the car in seconds, but also different designs like racing stripes. Although this may be only a concept right now, hopefully one day it will make it to dealerships across the country. 

 

Heads Up Display 

The hallmark of any futuristic movie is a holographic computer display that can be manipulated in the air. These are called heads up displays and may be a reality sooner than later. The brand Meta Materials has unveiled this technology using holographics to display information directly in the driver’s line of vision without them having to look down at the console. The potential is endless with this kind of technology, and would allow the driver to use voice controls to see important information without taking their eyes off the road. 

 

Better Electric Storage

Exxon Mobil predicts that by 2040, half of all new cars coming off the production line will be hybrids. The technology to store electricity is evolving and auto manufacturers are exploring new polymer fiber panels that will be able to store energy, allowing the size of the battery to be significantly reduced and the car made lighter overall. A major auto manufacturer is taking it one step further and also researching body panels that would actually capture solar energy and store it in a lightweight panel.

There are certainly a ton of exciting features to look forward to as technology advances. In the meantime, check out any of the Morris Group’s dealerships to check out the features in the latest models of Honda, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Maserati or Alfa Romeo.