7 Mind-Blowing Smart Car Technologies That Will Hit the Road Soon

The industry of high technologies is constantly developing, with a new revolutionary release happening every week or so. No surprise that all related niches are following the trend. Thus, smart car technologies are continuing to strike the minds. After the company Nissan showed its Resonance concept, the big manufacturer promised that passengers will have the opportunity to manage music and multimedia themselves. The concept was a preliminary announcement of the new Murano; the technology will be implemented in production cars. The Future of Automotive Gadgets Despite the overly avant-garde appearance and transcendental technologies, the ideas that are presented in concept cars are sometimes implemented in real cars. Some of the technologies from the list may seem incredible. In several years or so, you will be hardly surprised with those innovations. 1. “Communicating” Systems for Cars

As more and more cars get their own Internet connection in the future, they will be able to “communicate” with other vehicles to keep track of important and sometimes vital information. Is there any traffic jam on the road? Has an accident or any breakage occurred? Through its onboard computer, a vehicle will analyze and collect the most important data. Nothing of what is happening on the road will be left aside. This innovation may seem really booming, just like free VIN decoder ​​was for some people a few years ago. ​ Car-to-Car Communication will help prevent accidents by allowing vehicles to warn each other about accidents before the driver manages to see the consequences of the “happening.” Also, this technology is developed by the world's leading manufacturers, including Audi, to create a new autonomous model. 2. System of 3D Gestures

Based on what was shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in La Vegas, the 3D gesture technology system will become one of the parts of the interaction with the car in the future. Thus, instead of the touchscreen, joysticks, and buttons, drivers of the future will have the opportunity to control parts of their cars with just a wave of their hands. This means that you can close and open windows by simply waving your hands up or down (in the direction you want to move it). As an alternative solution, you will be able to make an incoming call by simply pointing towards the screen of the infotainment system. What is more, it will be also possible to reduce/ increase the airflow, change the temperature, and so on. Well, such communication in the future with the car will probably become available to all drivers. 3. Car Integration with Smartwatch For several years, it has been possible to integrate vehicles with smartphones and most recently sync your car stereo with smart assistants like Alexa. Some people still find it mind-blowing. However, car manufacturers are not going to stop here. There are other technologies suitable for this integration/ easy-to-use concept. Thus, the Smartwatch is also beginning to attract the attention of developers. For example, Hyundai with the Android Wear application allows you to use it for a number of functions, including remote engine start/ stop, door locking/ unlocking, headlight on/ off and beeping. In addition, the application will help you find your car, call technical assistance on the road, or contact your personal Hyundai assistant. And all this is available through voice commands performed on the Smartwatch.

4. System for Automated Parking Some vehicles are already equipped with the Parktronic systems and can identify parking spaces themselves and independently take appropriate actions in order to park. To simplify and expand the possibilities of autonomous parking, it is necessary to create an infrastructure connecting a car. In practice, it will look something like a garage or a parking lot that will “talk” to the car via the Internet and tell it where free space is, without forcing the vehicle to idle while riding through the parking lot. After dropping off passengers at the entrance to the garage, the car will approach the free space and will automatically park. In order to get your car back, the owner simply has to call it using a smartphone. This technology can also be used at home, where the car can be taught to “memorize” your parking space. This information means that when you arrive home, you can get out of the vehicle and send the car to park itself in a predetermined place. That’s convenient, agree?

A Guide to the Technology That Makes Your Car Smart

A Guide to the Technology That Makes Your Car Smart

We’re beginning to get used to “smart cars” as the way of the future. While most still haven’t actually driven or purchased a vehicle like this, it’s widely understood that in the coming years more and more cars will be equipped with various self-driving and advanced safety features that enable them to drive themselves — at least partially. However, most of the time we don’t actually give much thought to what enables these cars to do what they do! We look to companies like Tesla as major innovators, but spare little thought to the underlying technology that makes a car smart.

In this piece we are digging further into the details to identify some of that underlying technology, and in some cases who’s putting it to use.

The Internet of Things

Our previous blog post ‘How the Internet of Things Technology Stands to Affect Your Car’ introduced the IoT as one of the major factors behind our progress toward smart cars. Specifically, it pointed to autonomous functionality and risk management as two of the areas that the IoT can impact. Really though, this isn’t a single technology. By nature, the IoT is a whole network of different systems and sensors working together, in this case to make the smart car concept possible.

To label all of the specific products involved might take several pages. But the idea, broadly, is that the IoT involves any and all aspects of a modern vehicle that communicate with each other, with other cars, and potentially even with road sensors or traffic equipment (such as stoplights) in order to recognize and adapt to conditions. In time, IoT technology will do everything from helping cars to drive autonomously among one another and in crowded cities, to enabling cars to recognize their own maintenance needs.

As for who is implementing the IoT in smart cars, the most accurate answer may be that any smart car manufacturer is working with this technology to some extent. However, Built In’s overview of the IoT in vehicles included some interesting specific examples. That piece notes that Tesla is working on sensors that will better recognize stoplights and signs, presumably for autonomous driving in cities; a company called Progress is equipping cars with machine learning capabilities for predictive maintenance; and Otonomo is helping car systems connect to the cloud for data collection that will lead to safer roads. These are just a few examples, but help to paint an appropriately broad picture of the IoT in today’s vehicles.

Internal Electrical Systems

One thing that is easily overlooked about smart cars is their increasing reliance on electrical features. Given the heavy overlap between smart cars and electric vehicles, it’s fair to point out that in many cases, smart cars depend more on internal electrical signals and reactions than their less “smart” counterparts. In a modern EV, high-powered electrical components help to manage everything from charging activity to motor function.

As with the IoT, we can’t list every last role that internal electrical systems play in smart cars. However, in understanding the technology behind these vehicles it’s still worth thinking right down to the most fundamental components that enable the cars to run as they do: printed circuit boards (PCBs) and semiconductors. These are the electronic systems that quite literally communicate signals between devices and keep a smart car running. Altium explains that there are numerous types of PCBs for different applications, and any number of them may come into play in a given smart car design. For instance, rigid-flex PCBs are newer options that are better able to adapt to certain intricate design needs while still performing complex electric functions; HDI PCBs can offer more power in a lighter package.

Regarding who’s applying PCBs in smart cars, the answer again is everyone involved. Any vehicle that relies on electric functions — from advanced automated steering, to radar sensors, to charging mechanisms — is making use of PCBs and similar underlying components, which may themselves come from any of a number of high-end modern providers.

Smart Safety Features

Finally, there are smart safety features to consider. These rely heavily on both the IoT and the underlying electrical components just discussed, but they are also the technological features that are arguably most responsible for the idea that these vehicles are in fact “smart.”

Specifically we’re talking about features such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, blind spot and lane departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control. Taken all together, these features and a few more like them amount to what is essentially an automated driving experience. By and large they are made possible by IoT devices that “see” the surrounding road conditions and communicate actions to internal mechanisms that control braking, steering, and acceleration. Most common among the main sensors driving these processes are LiDARs, which use lasers to measure distances between objects. However, there are also other forms of radar and ultrasonic sensors in use.

Where specific supply of this equipment is concerned, the picture is complex. Numerous companies (Ouster, AEye, and RoboSense to name a few) have been vying for supremacy in supplying various sensors for smart cars. As for implementation though, Consumer Reports has a terrific rundown of specific cars (from Acura to Volvo and everything in between) and the various smart features they may or may not be equipped with. This overview shows the extent to which smart safety features — which ultimately amount to autonomous driving capability — are in fact taking over the modern vehicle market.

Hopefully this has left you with a better sense of the underlying technology in modern smart cars. These are complex vehicles, and are only likely to be more so in the coming years as more features are integrated. However, understanding the fundamentals can certainly give you a greater appreciation for just how capable smart cars are becoming already.

Smart ForTwo offers state-of-the-art technology

Smart ForTwo offers state-of-the-art technology

With its exceptionally small turning circle, the new 2016 Smart ForTwo is clearly the world champion in agility on city roads, while its compact dimensions make child’s play of finding a parking space — no matter how tight it might be.

The state-of-the-art three-cylinder rear engine and brand new turbocharger mean a power increase to 89 horsepower. It also means 100 lb-ft. of torque, giving drivers a bigger boost than ever before.

Smart now also offers a five-speed manual transmission or the optional six-speed dual clutch twinamic transmission, so all your transitions can go smoothly.

The latest Smart car also features a new chassis with a track 4 inches wider than the previous model, enhancing stability while retaining the shape that allows for Smart’s unparalleled agility.

The 2016 Smart ForTwo can also turn the morning commute into a joyride. Simply plug in the smartphone or tablet to access music and apps (including the Smart Cross Connect app that allows you to update your smart’s entertainment and information features). Every Smart is now also equipped with standard Bluetooth technology for hands-free phone calls and audio streaming.

Advanced driver assistance systems include Crosswind Assist, forward collision warning, and Lane Keeping Assist.

Further, with about 400 color combinations to choose from, there are more possibilities for styling the Smart ForTwo than ever before. New colors for the body include moo white (matte), lava orange (metallic) and hazel brown (metallic); and for the tridion cell, cool silver (metallic) and lava orange (metallic).

During the day, the LED daytime running lights are automatically activated when the car is in motion, improving your style and safety whenever you’re on the road.

Engineered with Mercedes-Benz, every Smart must meet the strongest industry standards. The patented Tridion Safety Cell uses reinforced high-strength steel to act as a barrier between Smart drivers and everything else on the road.

The Smart feels spacious where it matters most. The car was designed to act small, but feel big. By widening the base, Smart added stability and space, so when you sit in it, it has the feel of a sedan.

It also features a twin-section tailgate, which facilitates loading and unloading, and provides maximum storage.

The Smart is about as nimble as a car comes. Boasting a best-in-class turning radius (22.8 ft), Smart makes driving and parking easier than ever. With a vehicle length of 8.8 feet, a width of 5.5 feet, and a Direct-Steer system with variable ratios, Smart was designed specifically for urban traffic conditions, which make its unique handling ability both fun and practical.