Technology was in the spotlight at the 2019 LA Auto Show in Los Angeles, California. Concepts and production vehicles showcased innovative automotive technology — all designed to give us a glimpse of what cars will look like in the future.
Karma’s new “Drive and Play” technology in the SC2 concept lets you re-experience your favourite drive, whether it’s from Confederation Bridge, N.B. to P.E.I. or B.C.’s Sea to Sky Highway. Attach a smartphone to the rear-view mirror and it transforms into a rear-view and a front-view camera. It records the drive ahead using several cameras and lidars around the vehicle. Later, you can replay the drive with the built-in laser projector on the vehicle’s front windshield; it projects the images directly onto your garage door so you can relive that experience.
Expect to see more Artificial Intelligence, or AI, seeping into cars of the future — all tailored to make the drive more relaxing and comfortable. The Lexus LF-30 concept vehicle takes the traditional infotainment system and projects it onto the rear roof, so passengers in the back seat can change the temperature or radio simply by using hand gestures. Rear-seat riders will never be left in the cold again.
Side-view mirrors will likely go the way of the dodo bird. Traditional mirrors will be replaced with high-tech cameras capturing images of vehicles on both sides of a vehicle. Several manufacturers, including Hyundai, Lexus, and Infiniti, are offering many versions of tiny side-view cameras. They are elegantly and sleekly incorporated into the design of Infiniti’s Qs Inspiration concept.
Moving towards autonomous vehicles, cabins will shift to become beautiful, spacious living rooms and working offices. Inside the Infiniti concept, the steering wheel and pedals disappear into the dashboard and floor when not in use and in the self-driving mode. When the driver wants to take control, the steering wheel and the pedals extend out for a more engaging, fun drive.
Door handles will likely disappear in the future, too. The Volkswagen ID Space Vizzion concept doesn’t have door handles — only an illuminated light image of a door handle. To open, simply touch once and the door opens easily. Inside, a high-tech dashboard takes centre stage — another common theme in future cars.
Traditional buttons and dials for the radio volume or HVAC system will disappear and be replaced with streamlined, clean, futuristic cabins with digital commands to perform a number of functions. You can change the flow and location of air vents, for example, by simply touching and dragging the circular icons anywhere on the dashboard.
And hidden in the cargo area are two electric skateboards with helmets and a remote control, so you can adjust the speed of your electric skateboard on the go, in crowded city streets. This multi-mode transportation system may be the future of mobility that’s environmentally friendlier than vehicles.
For people who misplace keys constantly, now you’re in luck. Ford’s new “phone as a key” technology lets you download an app onto your smartphone and your cell phone becomes the key. You can lock or unlock the doors with your phone, raise the liftgate, start, and even drive the vehicle without a traditional key nearby. And if you’re using a valet service, there’s no need to hand over your cell to a stranger — you can give them a temporary passcode to enter and drive the vehicle. This technology will appear in Ford’s new Mustang Mach E SUV, and is already available in the 2020 Lincoln Corsair.
Although we can all agree that some of these technologies will never see the light of day, other high-tech features are coming to a vehicle near you — sooner than you think.
