Tesla has been the go-to brand for most people since 2019; it offers an eco-friendly electric car that is not only great for the environment but also for the owner’s wallet as recharging is cheaper than refueling. Not only that, but it also comes packed with in-built latest technological features that put other cars to shame.
If you’ve heard of Tesla, you might have heard of its auto-pilot feature as well. Similar to the auto-pilot feature in an airplane, Tesla cars also have a similar ability to seamlessly glide through traffic without any human assistance. The car is able to do that as it has multiple cameras, sensors, and radars at different angles, which lets the AI know what is around the vehicle.
Do you have plans to save money by getting a used car? It’s important to do your homework and get a Revs Check Report. History can tell you whether or not you can trust the car. You may find that there are issues that have been overlooked. It’s also possible that the car has been involved in an accident. It will also include a list of all of the repairs and work that was done on the vehicle.
It’s a very complex and smart system that has made Tesla the number one car company in the world. That’s why it’s one of the best tech innovations in cars in a decade.
We’ll talk about some more futuristic technologies that will result in a safer driving experience.
Smart Road
Smart Road is a system that embeds digital technology and fiber optics mesh onto concrete slabs. The fiber optics detects the speed, weight, and position of a vehicle which is important information in case of Grand Theft Auto, accident, or even getting away from a speeding ticket. When and if there has been an accident routers inside the smart road system will alert the emergency services to get to the accident scene.
Dynamic Infrastructure Alert
The Dynamic Infrastructure Alert system is similar to google maps, but instead of just navigation, the system also shows a real-time infrastructure map which helps in keeping track of alternating driving limits and roadway affairs. In addition, this alert system will inform drivers of potential hazards in the roadway, like potholes or a construction area.
V2X
There’s a great chance that you might have heard of V2V or Vehicle to Vehicle that allows communication between vehicles to get info about each other and prevent any collision. But the next-gen V2V is on the way, and it’s named V2X or Vehicle to everything.
It’s a short-range wireless technology that allows vehicles to communicate not only with other vehicles but with traffic lights or even guardrails. For example, if the V2X senses a slow down in traffic speed, it will pop up a caution prompt that will provide the driver with necessary information.
Active Health Monitoring
First, we were introduced to this technology on our smartwatches; now, it’s time for our vehicles. Just like the Active Health Monitoring on the smartwatches, the Active Health Monitoring on vehicles performs frequent tests on the driver’s vitals. For example, the system can read the driver’s blood pressure, alcohol level, and fatigue level, all of which can cause accidents.
Self-healing Road
This may sound like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, but no, humans have achieved this amazing feat. In the Netherlands, the roads are usually made of the previous asphalt; instead of traditional asphalt, it uses bitumen and stones.
When faced with a potholes problem, researchers mixed in steel wool (the ones you use to remove stubborn burnt food) with the previous asphalt, paved a section of the road, and drove an induction machine over it after letting it sit for a while.
The oscillating magnetic field created by the machine heated the bits of steel wool; the steel wool then melted the bitumen between the stone, which repaired the minor cracks that might have developed into a pothole.
If you’re a driver, you may know how annoying and even dangerous potholes can be, depending on the depth and size. This self-healing road can prevent any pothole from ever existing.
Animal Detection System
In the U.S alone, over a million vertebrate animals are killed every day by a vehicle collision, whereas on a global scale, the number reaches 5 million.
With the introduction of radars, cameras, and infrared, cars will be able to detect animals and apply brakes automatically to help save a collision. It will save thousands of people from getting injured; an animal like a squirrel might not cause havoc, but a fully grown deer can cause serious injury in case of collision.
Emergency Brake Assist
There are so many cases where a faster brake response could have saved a whole lot of trouble and major accidents. Unfortunately, there is only a few seconds time limit to respond, and human brains can’t seem to make a split-second decision and react to it.
To save drivers from such cases, the Emergency Brake Assist system identifies when the brakes are applied in a rush and applies a maximum brake response, faster than a normal human can.
Remote Vehicle Shutdown & Infrared Headlights
Sometimes a car needs to be forcefully shut down following a reckless driving complaint or a payment issue. In such cases, remote vehicle shutdown can enable a car to shut down within a 50m radius.
Moving on, infrared headlights are the next step for headlights. Normal headlights fail; when there is a thick fog, thunderstorm, or snowfall; that is where infrared headlights come into play. It can help see through bad weather conditions, resulting in less chance of accidents.
Autonomous Driving
Companies like Tesla, Audi, BMW, GM, Ford, and others have already developed autonomous or semi-autonomous cars which can let disabled or handicapped travel freely without any hesitation. The Tesla Model 3 is a great example. Moreover, this feature can also save the driver from a crash as a fatigued driver is more prone to accidents.
External Airbags
Just like internal airbags, the external ones are installed to save the people or animals from a powerful impact. A great example would be the Land Rover Discovery which has a sensor in the bumper that detects a collision and deploys the external airbags in the event of an accident. This will cushion the impact and can save the lives of animals and people.
Intelligent Speed Assistant
Getting a speed ticket must be the most common form of disobeying traffic laws. Whether deliberately or unknowingly, almost every driver has been fined for overspeeding. But this could be a thing of the past as Intelligent Speed Assistant makes sure that the driver does not cross the legal speed limit by issuing an audio and visual warning prompt.
The way we drive and get around has been changing at a rapid pace for years now. And it seems that this trend will continue. There’s still much to be discovered, but one thing is for sure; we’re all going to be using technology to make our lives easier and safer.
