Liviu Marcus
Manufacturers of cars, to get ahead of the pack, will be seeking to create new products with ever-sophisticated technologies that could be potentially sold to the end customer. I told you it was time to have a fast review of these amazing and surprising innovations that have been seen in the recent few years.
The smart car will be at the heart of technological innovation in the years to come. Indeed, car manufacturers and suppliers who study the question of autonomous cars are multiplying, alongside other players such as start-ups, battery manufacturers, or mobility platforms (Lyft, Uber, etc.).
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The advent of the autonomous car seems inevitable, and while several companies are already offering surprising prototypes: Tesla, Google Car, and Apple Car—are following this trend, car manufacturers have no choice but to direct their innovations towards vehicle empowerment, step by step. Their innovations remain subject to current legislation, which requires the driver to be in control of his vehicle and to keep at least one hand on the wheel.
The new technology is gradually establishing itself in the automotive market.
Intelligent cruise control is very useful when the traffic is dense. The system maintains a safe distance from the vehicle in front: it slows down if the distance is reduced and accelerates if the distance is widening, within a defined speed limit. It also works when a pedestrian crosses the road. A camera integrated into the windshield is able to detect the white lines to automatically correct the trajectory of the vehicle. The intelligent system relies on sensors housed in the radiator grille, capable of detecting a vehicle up to 150 m.
New vehicle models on the automotive market have more and more functionalities that make driving safer, in line with new uses linked to new technologies. For example, the widespread functionality of connecting your smartphone to the dashboard via Bluetooth or USB makes driving safer. The driver can find all the functions of his mobile phone, such as messages, calls, or music, by command, either directly on the dashboard or by voice command. The driver thus remains focused on the road and the environment around him.
We all know the airbags currently fitted to our vehicles: front and side airbags, curtains, etc. For safety reasons, some manufacturers have decided to increase the number of airbags at strategic locations for greater protection of passengers in the event of an accident. The airbag placed under the steering column is beginning to be installed more and more in recent models.
Manufacturers offer seat belt airbags in order to avoid the damage they can cause to the body during an impact: this reduces the pressure on the vehicle.
Drowsiness remains one of the most common factors in accidents, despite prevention efforts on this subject. Manufacturers offer many systems to combat drowsiness. The most classic anti-drowsiness system is the use of light or sound signals, preventing the driver from falling asleep at the wheel thanks to sensors that record the movements of the steering wheel or on the pedals. As soon as these sensors detect an absence of movement, the signals are sent to the driver to keep him awake.
Lexus has a camera that analyzes the driver’s movements, especially eyelid fluttering. If the camera detects eyelids that flutter too regularly or that close for too long, a light and sound signal will prompt you to stop.
A small technological advance at the prototype stage at present is cameras instead of mirrors. The cameras’ vision will be directly projected onto the dashboard screens. The advantage of cameras is that they will enlarge the driver’s field of vision, especially blind spots. Another advantage is that the cameras can send an alert in case of a presence in the blind spot and offer infrared vision to help you see better at night.
