6 concepts or technologies that will change the driving and riding experience in the car

    In recent years, we have seen more and more technological elements appear in the automotive field, whether it is some technological gadgets or complete smart car systems like built-in Google navigation and Street View, or even blind spot monitoring and voice control. Now the car's cockpit has become a new battlefield for technology companies to display their strength and creativity.

    Of course, although some people believe that too many technological elements will distract drivers, many technologies are trying their best to minimize interference to drivers while playing their role. These different technologies are constantly making us adjust our driving habits. Although some of them are still in the conceptual stage, some of them have the potential to affect our lives in the near future, and we have to spend more time to adapt.

Virtual windshield

    Head-up displays may already be available on some mid-range and high-end cars, but turning the entire windshield into a giant display screen, where all virtual information is displayed, is still very refreshing. This display can help drivers track road conditions. Hazards, speed, navigation data, and lanes are projected onto the entire display. Jaguar Land Rover demonstrated this virtual imaging technology to the outside world, which can provide drivers with a naked-eye 3D imaging dashboard to replace rearview mirrors.

    In fact, the 3D imaging and gesture control in the virtual windshield display of Jaguar Land Rover are the latest concept technologies to reduce driver distraction. This technology treats the entire windshield as a display, so the driver will not be distracted while driving and can focus on the road conditions ahead. High-quality hazard warnings, speed, and navigation signs will be projected onto the display. For drivers, this new technology can help them display virtual driving lines: the virtual driving lines that appear on the windshield will be displayed on the driving trajectory map, making it easier for drivers to choose the best driving line. In addition, the color of the driving line will change to remind the driver that they need to slow down ahead.

Gesture Recognition

    Volkswagen of Germany has said that it will introduce gesture recognition function on its Golf R Touch Concept model in the near future. In this model, Volkswagen replaces the car dashboard with two display screens, which can support gesture control technology. The gesture control system recognizes gestures through a 3D camera installed on the roof. When the driver touches the roof, the control display of the sunroof will appear on the central display screen. The driver can open the sunroof by sliding the screen from front to back, and close it by sliding the screen from front to back. In addition, the seats in the car can also be controlled by gestures. With a slight wave of the hand, the display screen of the center console will display the relevant control icons for adjusting the seat, and the front passenger can easily touch the screen to adjust the seat angle.

    Moreover, the user interface of the information system can be customized according to the user's preferences and operating habits. At the same time, the system can also be seamlessly connected with smartphones.

Purify the air in your car

    When it comes to the Volvo brand, the first thing that comes to mind must be its top safety performance, but this Swedish car manufacturer has to bring us more than just the promise of seat belts and airbags. In its latest XC90 model, Volvo is also equipped with a variety of smart sensors, including devices that can detect harmful substances in the air in real time.

     Volvo uses the CleanZone system on the XC90. The main design purpose of this system is to control the air quality in the car through an innovative solution to provide drivers with a healthier and more comfortable driving environment. The multifunctional air filtration system of the CleanZone system can effectively reduce the content of harmful tiny particles entering the car.

    The CleanZone multi-function air filtration system uses a larger filtration volume, so that it can more effectively remove more tiny particles and pollen. At the same time, it is also equipped with an activated carbon filter layer, which can more effectively reduce the harmful substances entering the air in the car, thereby protecting the health of the people in the car to the greatest extent.

    In addition to air filtration, it also includes a sensor system that can detect toxic substances in the air entering the vehicle. When the above vehicle toxic substance detection system detects that the content of harmful substances exceeds the standard, it will automatically close the vehicle's air intake to reduce the entry of harmful substances into the vehicle. The application of the CleanZone multi-functional air filtration system and harmful substance sensor system can help vehicles effectively reduce the content of the above harmful substances in the vehicle.

Anti-scratch system

    Jaguar Land Rover also launched the latest Bike Sense anti-scratch system to ensure the safety of cyclists and prevent collisions between cars and cyclists. With the help of car sensors, the Bike Sense system can alert car drivers in three ways: light, sound, and vibration when a bicycle or motorcycle approaches a car.

    It is reported that Bike Sense has three main application scenarios. If a cyclist passes by the left side of the car, the lights on the left door frame and A-pillar will light up, the left speaker will also make a sound, and the left side of the driver's seat will vibrate to attract the driver's attention. When the car is waiting for pedestrians or cyclists to cross the road, if the driver accidentally steps on the accelerator pedal, the accelerator pedal will vibrate to remind the driver and will be ineffective until the danger is lifted. For those who have not developed the habit of checking the road conditions when parking and opening the door, Bike Sense can bridge the carelessness of this part of people. If there is a bicycle or motorcycle coming from behind, the door handle will vibrate and light up to remind the driver when he pulls the door.

The gradual demise of physical buttons

    More and more new models are gradually reducing the use of traditional physical buttons and are equipped with touch screens that support multi-touch (especially Tesla is equipped with a 17-inch ultra-large touch screen). Yes, the day when buttons and knobs are completely removed from the dashboard and center console is not far away, which will also help the entire car dashboard become neater and simpler.

    However, from the perspective of safety, there are still many concerns. According to some survey reports, no matter how user-friendly or beautiful the interface is, the driver needs to move his eyes from the front to the screen to operate, such as turning on the air conditioner or adjusting the navigation. In contrast, the design with traditional physical button layout allows the driver to operate without moving his eyes away from the road ahead after long-term familiarity, which is safer.

More flexible seat adjustment

    As cars gradually develop towards driverless driving, the adjustment space for seats in the car will become more flexible. For example, the recently popular Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury concept driverless car proposes the idea of ​​four seats that can be rotated at will, and even lie down directly, so that passengers in the car can communicate face to face.

    Of course, since the direction of the seat can be adjusted at will, all the supporting facilities in the car must be reconsidered. For example, the position of the front airbags, the layout of the car, and the adjustment of the automatic system. Of course, it is also necessary to consider that some passengers will suffer from motion sickness when facing away from the forward direction.