From AR windows to in-car assistants, here’s a look at future automotive technology

    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 brought a head-up display to its products for the first time, allowing drivers to see the car's various readings more intuitively. With the help of augmented reality technology, the entire windshield of the car can be turned 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 the camera outside the car, the windshield can also provide a 360-degree unobstructed view.

Biometric Tracking

    With the help of biometric technology, the car 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 your blinking frequency.

    If the car thinks that the driver is physically tired, 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 becomes part of the Internet, it can help you in a variety of smart ways. For example, it can detect the remaining fuel in the tank and calculate whether it is enough to travel to the destination. If not, it will scan the gas stations along the way and provide navigation.
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, and the road conditions in the city will be greatly improved.

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 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.