The world of car innovation design is a fast-moving one, in which features that were dreamt of as luxuries only five years ago are now standard in most new vehicles. For instance, a Business Insider article from 2016 had the prescient perspective to write about new-fangled features that were currently only available in high-end luxury vehicles. Such features included Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera, and blind-spot detection. With the standardization of these features, chances are high that you have been in a car sporting these attributes recently; maybe one is sitting in your garage right now.
So, keeping in mind that today’s futuristic luxuries are tomorrow’s baseline standard, one might ask what are the features that will be in the next car that they buy? It may be difficult to predict with some certainty what will become mainstream﹘some things thought to be merely a gimmick are in high demand, while other sure-fire characteristics have yet to have their “moment” with the general public﹘but as each one of these hallmarks finds its way into conventional vehicles, it not only changes the way we think about driving, but there are new demands placed on auto care technicians to learn these new technologies.
The Rise of the Smart Car
There’s a feeling among smart car owners that every person need only take a ride once to turn from a skeptic to a true believer. This might be true, considering the waiting period for smart car preorders from some of the biggest brands. What makes them so desirable though, and will we see their most popular features become standard in the future? Only time will tell, but many of these features are already starting to become the norm.
Hybrid Powertrain Options
The hybrid car is becoming less of a novelty with each passing year, and yet the technology behind it still feels like a luxury to many people. The idea that you can propel your car with either an electric motor, a gas motor, or both working together is the type of innovation that will likely see widespread adoption sooner rather than later. While we expect to always need to keep our skills regarding muffler and exhaust repair honed, our team is quickly adapting to servicing electric cars. One thing is for certain: we need to get used to seeing charging stations more often.
A 360° View
Whereas the idea of the rear bumper camera being a new feature is laughable now, the natural evolution of that feature﹘multiple cameras all over the body of the vehicle﹘doesn’t seem so farfetched. Luxury vehicles have been steadily increasing the car’s ability to sense objects on all sides of it for years, and as the safety application of these cameras and sensors proves itself over time, we’ll start seeing more conventionally-priced vehicles become aware of their surroundings on the road.
Dash-Mounted Computers
We are all familiar with the integration of GPS on the dash of every car, but a full-fledged computer with a broader application is already being used in the most luxurious cars today. These computers not only can interface with your smart devices like a phone or a watch but also run a full diagnostic on your car’s systems. No longer do you have to settle for a check oil light to tell you that you need an oil change﹘you will get an alert that it’s time for a full-fledged tune-up.
Automatic Emergency Braking
One of the main benefits of having a vehicle that’s more aware of its surroundings is its ability to act as another layer of control if situations start looking dangerous. Automatic braking is a good example of how all these safety features listed above work together to not only keep the driver and their passengers safe but also pedestrians or other drivers on the road. The cameras mounted in the chasse of the vehicle can suddenly apply the brakes if needed, and the on-board computer can tell you if you need to get your brakes repaired.
The Best Auto Care, Regardless of Features
The car industry has always been led by two factors when it comes to making certain features standard: money and demand. Some of the features we mentioned here are being made standard in even the most affordable cars, but others are yet a ways off. Regardless of what features your car comes with, our team at the Provo Master Muffler are some of the most sought-after auto care technicians in the business. We can service any make and model, and we do so quickly, with a smile. Just call us today to make an appointment, and we’ll see that your new car remains road-ready.
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