What does the future hold for connected cars? Will we ever see the flying vehicles of the future that we’ve all dreamed of in our lifetime?
Your guess is as good as mine, but what we can say is this. Even if we’re not quite there yet,the cars in the not-so-distant future will be vastly different from those we know today. The whole world is actually in a state of flux, but for now let’s just focus on cars — or vehicles thereof. One thing is certain – they’ll certainly be using alternative energy sources, probably electric and they are going to be autonomous and, above all, connected.
Indeed, a new era of mobility is already upon us. Technology continues to lead us down incredible avenues of discovery. There’s no doubt that the many upcoming innovations will affect hugely the way we all live our “mobile” lives. And by that I mean drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike.
This was actually the main theme in this year’s “TU Automotive Europe” conference, which took place in Munich on October 30th. And, of course, we did not miss it for the world. How can I describe our experience there? A bit like going “back to the future”, for real.
And that’s why we’re really excited to share a few key takeaways that really impressed us with you.
Connected cars: the next generation
Yes, connected cars are already here. They have been around for quite some time actually. But what is interesting is how fast they are developing in terms of functionalities.
The next generation of vehicles
Electric cars; battery powered cars
Electric vehicles seem to be on the right track to dominate the market. Today, you might argue that the number of electric cars in circulation isn’t comparable with that of conventional fuel-powered cars. But things are about to shift gear (pun intended). New cars, equipped with environmentally-friendly batteries of far greater capacity than the ones we currently use, will offer a much greater degree of autonomy and will facilitate long-distance trips.
AirBnb for cars is here to stay
Convenience is king. That’s why apps that give you the opportunity to rent an individual’s car as soon as you reach a new destination are becoming such a success. And this trend, so it seems, will continue in the near future. Transportation-as-a-service will replace pure individual ownership, as we know it today. Car-sharing will become mainstream and vehicle owners may become a minority.
Connected car: What’s next?
Future cars will be connected with “everything”: stores, pedestrians, other vehicles of any kind etc. The new smart cars will navigate within smart cities and offer capabilities and features hard for us to imagine today.
Passengers will enjoy a personalized, immersive experience. Location data, for instance, will be utilized to offer recommendations to passengers, such as personalized ads when approaching a favorite store.
All these augmentations will definitely add value to customers’ “journey” — it’s no longer just a trip.
Manual driving will become obsolete
Even though today’s self-driving cars are still in the research stage, so to minimize accidents — and only wandering within Mcity — this will become our reality in the near future. Autonomous, artificially-intelligent cars, equipped with sensors and cameras, will be able to deliver intra-city trips without the intervention of a human driver. Well, if that doesn’t sound like a science fiction scenario, what does?
Wrapping it up
So there you have it. Clearly we are not yet quite at that point where we’ll live like the Jetson family in a utopian future. Where people live in housing in the sky, work a three-day workweek, and drive connected cars that look like flying saucers.
But, a gradual transformation is happening in mobility. Rapid developments continue in vehicles, infrastructure and smart cities. Before we can use all these new ways and means in life, can be used, they must be of mainstream acceptance. We are now slowly — but steadily — building the grounds to change the way we transport, to upgrade old technologies with new ones.
Our experience at “TU Automotive Europe” gives us the proof that we’re right on track at Veturilo. And we’ll definitely be going back next year. As for the future, even if it’s going be a while before a basic infrastructure is ready to support all this — mainstream acceptance is also important — we’ll be busy beavering away behind the scenes and polishing up our solutions, to be your guide in your transition to this brave new world.