Cool Smart Car Technologies: Biometric Tracking/Self-Healing

    The automotive industry is about to usher in a technological revolution. How exciting is it? The industry generally believes that the changes in the next 20 years will be greater than the 107 years since the invention of the car. What new and cool new technologies will we see in this revolution?

　　Augmented reality windshield

　　As early as 1988, General Motors introduced the head-up display for its products for the first time, allowing drivers to see the various readings of the car more intuitively. With the help of augmented reality technology, the entire windshield of the car can be transformed into a huge head-up display. By connecting to the sensors on the car, we can not only see various forms of data on the windshield, but also get more road condition reminders.

　　Specifically, infrared cameras can scan the road to enhance what the driver sees through the windshield, such as road signs, pedestrians, or animals that suddenly jump onto the road. And by connecting to cameras outside the car, the windshield can also provide an unobstructed 360-degree view.

　　Biometric Tracking

　　With biometrics, cars will be able to continuously track the driver's physical state. The steering wheel or seat belt can be used to detect heartbeat and breathing, and the dashboard camera can track how often you blink.

　　If the car thinks the driver is physically fatigued, it will display a warning message on the windshield. If the driver is too tired to continue driving, the car will even drive to a safe position and automatically shut down.

　　Gesture Control

　　Concept cars have long been fond of gesture control. This technology uses built-in sensors to detect various gestures performed by the driver and then converts them into control inputs. For example, if you want to turn on the radio, just take one hand off the steering wheel and draw a radio knob in the air.

　　Smart Connectivity

　　When your car is part of the Internet, it can help you in all kinds of smart ways. For example, it can detect how much gas is left in the tank and calculate whether it's enough to get you to your destination. If not, it can scan for gas stations along the way and provide directions.

　　In addition, when all cars are connected to a unified traffic management system, managers can control traffic flow by changing the sequence of traffic lights, which will greatly improve road conditions in the city.

　　Self-healing

　　Damage to the car's surface has always been a nuisance for drivers, but in a few years, your car may be able to repair itself. Researchers have developed a magical polyurethane composite coating that can automatically repair surface damage when exposed to ultraviolet light.

　　Zero Gravity Chair

　　NASA and Nissan have jointly developed a special seat that can reduce driving fatigue. Its design is inspired by aerospace technology and can provide a "neutral posture" similar to weightlessness to eliminate fatigue. Specifically, it can fundamentally change its structure to provide continuous support for the hips and reduce the load on the muscles and spine.

　　Ear protection

　　Mercedes has developed an ear protection technology for its E-Class. When the car senses an impending collision, it immediately plays a warning sound of up to 85 decibels through the speakers to trigger the "sound reflex" of the occupants. This warning sound can trigger the contraction of the stapedius muscle in the middle ear, which can block the louder noise generated by the car collision, thereby protecting the ears.

　　Automatic charging car

　　Tesla recently demonstrated a snake-shaped automatic charger it developed for self-driving cars. After taking the user to the destination, the car will automatically drive back to the garage and wait for the charger to be plugged into its charging port.

　　In addition, the UK is currently testing a road with wireless charging capabilities, allowing electric vehicles traveling on it to be charged while driving.

　　In-car virtual assistant

　　Today, we are all used to virtual assistants on mobile devices, which provide all kinds of useful information in our daily lives. In the future, we will also be able to get help from virtual assistants while driving through similar technologies. If there is an incoming call or new message, the virtual assistant can display the relevant content directly on the windshield. Or before you get in the car, the car has already turned on the air conditioning for you, so that you can enjoy the coolness or warmth immediately.