Automobiles are continuing to evolve with space age technology that is ditching mirrors in favor of radar, replacing the gear selector with a voice command and synthetic fuels being developed that release almost zero carbon emissions.
The auto world has always been tied somewhat to the aeronautical; however, most of that was aesthetic, such as the fins, or “stabilizers,” but these days, technology developed by NASA is actually in the car you drive.
The little sensor that tells you that the rear passenger tire has low pressure is one example. According to SciTech Daily, NASA developed a system for the space shuttle that turns air pressure into electrical resistance and produces real-time readings in the cockpit.
Sadly, it was that very sensor that told the astronauts aboard space shuttle Columbia, in 2003, that they were doomed.
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While flying cars are still a fantasy and self-driving cars are possible, but scary for most of us, there is a bevy of new tech making its way into automobiles. Some of the new tech you may like and some of it you definitely will not like.
According to The Drive, Ford has patented a technology that basically allows cars to repossess themselves if an owner misses a payment. The technology can disable certain functions of the car or disable it altogether if the owner is not fully up-to-date with their financial arrangements.
This could be a real bummer for the person that bought a vehicle they can barely afford.
Side mirrors and the rear-view mirror may soon be a thing of the past as European parts supplier Forvia has announced it is developing a system using cameras and radar to make the mirrors obsolete, according to an article in USA Today.
It is not completely clear how this technology works. It may be some type of panoramic screen offering the driver multiple views, or it may be a combination of camera footage and audible reminders of traffic behind or near and eliminate blind spots using radar.
Radar technology has become so high tech that it can detect a child or pet left in a vehicle unattended, and as cars become more integrated with smart phones, the car may be able to remind the absentminded parents that “Hey, you idiot, you left your kid in the car, and its 90 degrees outside!”
Speaking of voice commands ,your car may soon rely not on a key but key words like “Alexa, turn on your engine and give me directions to Willie Jewel’s Old School Barbeque.”
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According to Hot Cars, Land Rover already offers an “Activity Key,” which is a waterproof, wearable wristband giving the wearer access to the car; however, that might soon become obsolete as facial and voice recognition progresses.
The most exciting thing to come along for those of us who champion the combustion engine is the development of alternative fuels that can be used in a standard engine and produce emissions that should make climate change activist Greta Thunberg happy, or at least make her shut up for a moment.
Germany recently announced that it would not support the European Union’s total ban on combustible engines, which is set to take effect in 2035, unless alternative synthetic fuels are allowed.
A report by Fox News claims that synthetic fuels using water and carbon captured from the atmosphere don’t contribute any additional greenhouse gasses and could replace fossil fuels in the future.
Right now, a gallon of the synthetic fuel costs $45 per gallon to manufacture.
So, thank you technology, but for now I will keep my vehicle that has mirrors, doesn’t talk to me, lets me select gears on my own and takes me where I want to go without costing me fifty bucks to get from one fueling station to another.
…See you on the road!
