Other than higher gas prices, what does the future hold for drivers and their cars? The writers of Cars.com have come up with a list of innovations that they feel are in the cards, or that they would like to see. Some of these ideas are already in the works; many of them sound more like wishful thinking. But isn’t that what drives innovation?
The first thing on their list is a car that can use any kind of fuel available. This car would run on a hydrogen fuel cell, have hybrid capabilities and would also be able to run on alternative fuels such as ethanol.
How about tires that are made of a compound that can change to varying road conditions with the touch of a button? It may sound far-fetched, but who would have thought 20 years ago that we would have tires like the ones available today that can plug leaks by themselves to keep us running?
Another idea that sounds like something from the Jetsons but is based on reality trials is an auto-pilot system. This would scan the road around us and adjust speeds to the conditions. Today’s GPS navigation systems are the first part of the puzzle to make this a reality. The same applies to a lane-change warning system. This is already in place, and will be available in certain Audi and Volvo models next year.
Many of us already have some type of GPS navigation system. The problem is that these devices can send us to roads and highways that are clogged by various incidents. The idea would be to overlay real-time traffic information so that the systems know which roads really provide viable alternatives. This is in the works, although automated traffic information still has a ways to go before it’s reliable for everyday use.
A couple of things that are already here or are just around the corner are keyless entry systems that use a fingerprint scan to give you access (I’m not sure how this works in harsh weather conditions) and brake lights that shine more brightly depending on how hard the driver is pressing the brake pedals. This would give valuable warning to those following behind.
As long as there is gas (or something) to put into our cars and as long as we can afford it, it looks like the future of driving could be a lot safer and a bit more fun.
READER FEEDBACK
Mike writes: “This year, for the first time (and I’ve been riding Metro for six years now), I am seeing more and more tourists traveling during rush hours, even the early a.m. times. And they are nearly taking over some trains during the p.m. rush. Hearkening back to why the system was created in the first place,I think we need to strongly encourage tourists to stay away from Metrorail during rush hours, especially between 4:30 and 6:30 in the evening. Stay in town, have a nice dinner, then come home. Let us poor commuters get home quickly and in peace.”
Questions, comments, random musings? Write to Steve@ SprawlandCrawl.com.
