Emerging Technologies and Automobiles

Technologies in Development

Out of the six developing technologies that I read about here, I think the Terrafugia and the T-FX  are the least likely to happen. They just seem impractical to me, and the thought of having cars flying above my head is a little unsettling. Will there be an age restriction on who can drive one of these cars, or can a 16 year old use one? Will there be a separate license to test for, will you have to know how to fly a plane or helicopter in order to fly one of these vehicles? I know that it is supposed to be autonomous, but things can happen. There can be glitches in the system or a malfunction where you have no choice but to switch it to manual, and then what? There are just too many variables, and I think it would cause more problems than the ones it seemingly will solve.

Out of the six though, they did have some interesting and kind-of-smart ideas, like what the article says under the "Next-Gen Active Safety Features.". Especially in Canada, the visibility, or the lack of, is not rare. The idea of being able to see through the storm and have your car tell you where objects and other vehicles and people on the road are, is incredibly cool and would be incredibly useful. It would be amazing if this technology was introduced into modern day cars, so I am more hoping than anything. I don't think this technology will be introduced soon, but I do think it will someday.

I think what Ford is working on will definitely make it's way into cars today, although to me, I don't think it will have a huge impact on the driver. Ford plans on integrating sensors into the steering wheel and seat belt of the driver, so the car can register the driver's breathing, heart, and stress levels. If the driver is under a lot of stress, the car will be able to ignore calls and other distractions to ensure the driver will get to their destination safely. Useful, yes, it will help the driver when (s)he is in these times of stress, but I don't think it will have a huge impact on the way we drive in our society, which is partly why I think it will be the first to appear.

Like I said above, the idea of a flying car does not appeal to me at all. I don't think there are many advantages to having a vehicle that can travel by both land and air. It seems impractical and unsafe, plus many airline companies may go out of business if families can fly wherever they want on their own. Not only do they not look appealing, (who wants to drive around in a car that looks like a wannabe plane with seemingly no wings?) but they would be extremely expensive to both buy and make, and I just don't see the point. Hardly anybody would be able to buy them, so you would have just a bunch of vehicles that no one is using. We already have enough regular cars that just sit in dealerships all day. If it can't travel through time, don't even bother. That's what I think.

The self driving car has been talked about for years, and I can see both sides of the moral argument, but I think I have to disagree with it. Yes, it would cause less accidents and people who don't enjoy driving would no longer have to deal with the stress of it, but I just don't trust the technology, and probably won't until it was proven to me how safe it is. Glitches and malfunctions can happen, the sensor can be damaged, and eventually we will forget how to drive. The where will we be?  Although I can't stop the developments from happening, I know for sure I would not be a customer.

Tech for the Sake of Tech?

It does not surprise me that younger people, typically aged 21-38, do not care about having smartphone connectivity options in their cars, but I do think our generation will. Although I find it almost annoying to have all of these gadgets, apps and unneeded options within arms length while you are behind the wheel, I think my fellow peers would love it. The idea of being uploaded, connected, and online all the time seems to appeal to most people my age, and the bare thought of going for a drive in a car without that is seemingly horrible. I personally don't see what the big deal of it all is, but that's just me, and I am just one person in a world of Cybermen continually looking to be upgraded.

Although some people think the fact that many drivers are not using the connectivity options suggest they are using their smartphones while driving, I have to disagree. Yes, there are some people who do use their phone while they are behind the wheel, which they really shouldn't do, but how is turning their car into their phone going to help that? If anything, I think it will only increase the risks of accidents and the urge to drive distractedly. All you are doing is taking away the reaching for your phone. You still have to look away from the road to hit a button, adjust and use the options and settings; it's just like a really fancy radio, which you still have to look away to use. The reason people are not using these options is because there is no need for them, and they are smart enough to know that without having to ask Siri first.

Although it is clear that not many people like to use all of these new technologies, they are still important to consider when purchasing a new automobile. Not only will they make the car more expensive, but how much of it are you actually going to use, and how much of it is going to get in the way or make it more difficult to actually drive? I know many people who bought a higher tech car than what they are used to, and they still aren't sure how to use it. When there are so many buttons and so many features, it can make driving the vehicle intimidating and cause the driver to be anxious, confused and worried. Why pay more for something that makes it more difficult to do something? Driving a car is simple, and it should be kept that way.

If I had to choose one technology to have in a car I wanted to purchase, I would pick Bluetooth, which in itself has been out for awhile, and the only reason would be for the music on my phone when there is nothing on the radio. I don't like being able to receive calls when I'm driving, and I also really don't like how it makes my voice sound. It makes people sound as if they are in a tunnel and it sucks.

Going back to the timeline, I think one thing that seemed unnecessary was the Energy Policy Act of 1992. I don't know how frequently we use this today, or if that's how all of our fuel is, but it encouraged alternative-fuel vehicles, which used a combination of fuels to run the automobile.