There’s nothing cooler than having a car tricked out with all the latest tech. In 2015, we saw some major innovations in the auto industry that are sure to impress gearheads and techies alike. Here are a few:
The Remote Valet Parking Assistant
Searching for a parking spot is so 2014. The BWM i3 electric car took self-parking technology to new level this year. Its remote valet parking assistant uses a system of 16 lasers to locate a vacant space in a parking garage and park the vehicle after you have already exited. It can even come pick you up if you sync the technology with a mobile device. There is one important catch: BMW must have a map of the parking garage for the system to work, so it may be a while before the technology takes off.
Smartphone Projection
Texting while driving should soon become a thing of the past since Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make using your smartphone in the car safer than ever. These devices allow drivers to connect their mobile device to their vehicle and use the dashboard HUD screen as a display. Rather than being touchscreen controlled, the device becomes controllable through voice commands. You can dictate messages, and the device can read incoming messages to you.
Active Health Monitoring
In case rush hour literally sends you into cardiac arrest, Ford's active health monitoring technology uses ECG monitors in the vehicle's seats to track your heart rate. If the system detects that the driver is having a heart attack, the vehicle will park itself and call the nearest paramedics. With the assistance of other devices, the system can also monitor vitals such as the driver's blood glucose levels. Once this technology finally becomes widely available, it could be a literal life saver.
Variable Seating Systems
What good is a self-driving car if you're still stuck looking at the road? Mercedes-Benz debuted a concept car with four rotating chairs, which allows all passengers to face each other while the vehicle drives automatically. You could comfortably conduct a business meeting or play poker while awaiting arrival to your destination.
What's next for car technology? Once Wi-Fi become standard in all vehicles, you can likely look forward to personalized advertisements via your HUD. Don't worry; someone will invent in-car ad blockers soon enough.
Any new car technologies you can’t wait to see? Tell us in the comments!
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