The advent of technology and innovation has revolutionized many different industries and sectors, including the automotive industry, which has seen a massive paradigm shift towards smart cars, driverless cars, electric cars, and much more. There are many new and emerging trends in the automotive industry that will only continue to grow in the coming year, so let’s have a look at them one by one.
Self-Driving Vehicles
Starting off the list are autonomous or self-driving vehicles, which make it absolutely possible to move cars from one place to another without any human involvement. Self-driving vehicles can be used to revolutionize the transportation industry. Imagine how public commuting would work if it doesn’t depend on the bus or taxi drivers. Not only will the entire system become faster and more streamlined, but it would also allow for safer transportation.
Connectivity
Now, you don’t have to be present in a vehicle to know where it is or if anything is wrong with it. Geolocation and GPS tracking have been present in the automotive industry for a decade or two, but today’s vehicles are practically computers that have their own digital identity, which can’t be changed or tampered with. Each vehicle can be connected to a central network, which means that you can easily track each and every vehicle, down to the last inch.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles are the newest technology that everyone has been talking about, and because of the depleting natural resources, their popularity is growing more than ever. Although they have become quite mainstream, electric vehicles continue to be less feasible, mainly due to the lack of charging options across a city, low battery output, and other issues that need to be addressed.
Shared Vehicles
Another interesting trend that may catch up in 2021 is shared mobility, where states and cities will be able to utilize the existing fleet of vehicles in rotational shifts and shared applications so that there is no need for buying new vehicles and spending more money. This will greatly help them save time, money, and resources.
Artificial Intelligence
There is no industry that can operate without the offerings of artificial intelligence nowadays, and thanks to technologies like machine learning and deep learning, transportation and fleet management can be automated. Not only does this optimize processes, but it also aids in increasing road safety and improving vehicle insurance services.
Blockchain
Blockchain is a distributed ledger that is a much more secure way of handling and organizing data. Although it has been largely used in cryptocurrency, there are multiple applications for blockchain in the automotive industry as well. It can be utilized for securely sharing vehicular data on a network for better accessibility, as well as for optimizing shared mobility solutions, including ride-hailing services, deliveries, and much more.
Internet of Things
Last but not least, the internet of things also has a huge role to play in the automotive industry. It facilitates rapid and secure communication between different vehicles belonging to the same fleet or sharing a central network. IoT can be used to detect problems within the vehicle, and it may also schedule timely maintenance or repairs, or order replacement parts for the vehicle.
This concludes our roundup on the 7 popular trends in the automotive industry that we expect to see in 2021 as well. By having a look at all of the trends, one thing can be safely assumed: all of the trends and technologies are working towards a common goal, which is to optimize and automate transportation, be it for humans, delivered goods, or any other purpose.
