The Future of Cars #2

A network of talking vehicles. 

Now days, electronics talking to each other isn't an uncommon occurrence. The bluetooth speaker telling your smartphone it's running out of battery or your car warming itself up with a push of a button on your smartphone app. It's not much longer until your car will be communicating with all the other cars on the highway on your way to work and home. 

This means that cars will be able to share traffic conditions as well as the weather and road blocks. The speed and direction of your car will also be shared with other vehicles on the road, warning others about potential hazards. This is called vehicle-to-vehicle communication, also known as, V2V. 

Prototypes have already been tested on about 3,000 cars and trucks. These devices send a short range safety signal to other vehicles to find potential accidents. The cars will send a "beep" to other cars when they detect danger, such as when another car enters a intersection, a pedestrian walks by, or another driver is driving way to fast. 

The research team behind this believes that this could get rid of almost 80% of all car wrecks on the road today. It's only a matter of time before this V2V technology is equipped on all vehicles.

The Future of Cars #1

Cars that collect and remember data about you. This might sound scary to some of you but in reality, this is something that could really help throughout the day to day activities. All of these new cars carry on-board computers that handle everything that the car does, from the stereo to the brakes. Because of this, computers can alos analyze the trends and inefficiencies of those driving behind the wheel. It wont be much longer before the car knows exactly where you want to go as soon as you step inside. 

Mercedes-Benz is the leader in this program and is developing a system that learns about the driver over time. It will learn your weekly schedule, food preferences, and perhaps even what mood you're in. Not only that, but it'll link up to the GPS and receive satellite data to help find the fastest route to where you go every minute. 

Keep this in mind next time you go car hunting a couple years in the future. The car will be getting to know you, not the other way around. 

Smartphones Telling Cars to Park

It wont be much longer until you open up your car app on your smartphone, push a button, and watch your car go park itself in the lot. If that wasn't impressive enough, push the same button, and watch the car arrive to your feet waiting for your entrance.

Valeo, a French auto parts maker, uses a multiple ultrasonic sound wave sensors, laser scanners and cameras to park a car within centimeters of another vehicle or object. This sounds to good to be true, not longer would people spend 15 minutes hunting and fighting for a open parking spot.



"The car is able to do a much better parking maneuver than we as humans," said Amine Taleb, Valeo's project manager.

The name of this system is called, "Connected Automated Valet Parking". Although we are still a few years away from it being permitted into most states regulations, keep an eye out for this equipment.

Autopilot Features & Capability Tesla Motors Model S D

With all the hype of Tesla Motors latest model "the D", is the autopilot feature really capable of handling itself the way it's promoted? I believe the answer is yes... and no. 

At the moment, it is one of the most advanced cars available with some of the greatest safety features ever built in. The autopilot used a system of new radars, GPS, and camera sensors to run on the road. These features are unmistakably impressive, but the reality of it is that it's more of a turbo charged driver assist feature as of now. Musk has reveled future plans though for the vehicle that will improve it's autopilot functions as time goes on. 

Although, when the vehicle is described by Musk as, "this car is nuts. It's like taking off from a carrier deck. It's just bananas. It's like having your own personal roller coaster", I would want to feel the power transferring into my hands on the steering wheel, non-stop. 

Autopilot & Power - Tesla Motors Model D

Tesla Motors has been leading the outbreak of electric vehicles for almost a decade now with Elon Musk at the helm. This latest model, the Dual Motor Model S, was introduced today after weeks of speculation.

Musk states that his vehicle is, "taking technology to the next level". It certainly look like it too. The Dual Motor Model S has Autopilot features like no other. The new system will move the vehicle over lanes with ONLY the flick of the wrist, moving the turn signal. That's right, the foot isn't on the pedal and the hands are completely free of the steering wheel. Naturally, this is all done while obeying the speed limit . This new model can read incoming speed limit signs and adjust accordingly while on the go. In a future updates, the car will be able to park itself in the owners garage or driveway while the driver is dropped off at the front door. This also works in the reverse scenario, slowly making its way to the driver wherever they may be.

The newest Tesla addition is incredibly fast, matching the McLaren's 3.2 second dash from 0-60 mph. "It's like having your own personal roller coaster," said Musk.