Contents
- In the movies, futuristic cars are stuffed full of cool gadgets and deadly weapons. From James Bond to I, Robot, we’ve all seen something that has made us think “I wish my car had that!”
- 1 Built-in breathalysers
- 2 Sensor systems
- 3 Drowsiness detectors
- 4 Camera displays
- 5 Emergency assistance
- About the author: Mark Chalcraft is writing on behalf of Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, a UK supplier of car accessories. He has been blogging for three years on a variety of subjects.
In the movies, futuristic cars are stuffed full of cool gadgets and deadly weapons. From James Bond to I, Robot, we’ve all seen something that has made us think “I wish my car had that!”
But the big technology for future car design is safety. Modern innovations such as mobile communications are now advanced enough that they can be designed for use in our cars without making them too expensive.
Here are five examples of technologies that are already being developed, and some which can already be found in mass production:
1 Built-in breathalysers
In February it was announced that National Express in the UK are introducing a system to ensure that all of their drivers are free from alcohol before they get behind the wheel. Each driver has to pass a breath test before he can start the engine and any drivers who have traces of alcohol in their systems will be prevented from driving and reported to a control centre.
It’s difficult to argue against the merits of such a system given the obvious safety benefits, and there are calls to have these devices fitted into production cars as standard. In Sweden these devices are already commonly found in private cars and in France it is a legal requirement for public vehicles.
2 Sensor systems
We already have proximity sensors to assist with parking and reversing as standard in many family cars. Other features now being included in high-end vehicles include systems to detect vehicles that are in the driver’s blind-spot, alert drivers to nearby pedestrians, and technologies which adjust the car’s speed to match those in front and monitor oncoming vehicles.
As production costs continue to decrease, their use will doubtless expand to mid and low-range cars.
3 Drowsiness detectors
Falling asleep at the wheel is one of the problems most highlighted by safety watchdogs and campaigners. Now, German scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute claim to have invented an eye-tracking system that will sound an alarm if drivers start to become drowsy. It isn’t the first system of its type to be developed yet at a tenth of the cost of previous attempts it is certainly the most appealing to manufacturers.
4 Camera displays
There are a number of high-tech systems in development that use cameras and high-definition displays to enhance a driver’s view of the road. Particularly designed for night-time driving and rear-view displays, these systems project their images onto a screen in the same way that fighter aircraft use a heads-up-display.
This could also be used to provide drivers with data, such as speed, that they would normally view on their dashboards without having to divert their vision away from the road.
5 Emergency assistance
The worst has happened. You’ve lost control on a remote stretch of road and had an accident, you are unconscious, and there is nobody nearby to help you. Fortunately, your new car is fitted with an on-board communication system and a GPS locator which automatically notifies the emergency services and tells them where you are.
For good measure, the car uses data from its sensors to provide details of how the car might be damaged so that your rescuers know what to expect when they arrive on the scene. BMW and General Motors already have such systems in place.