Wheeling in the future
Modern cars already make many of the decisions that used to be the responsibility of humans. That trend is about to accelerate. Before long, we will be driving cars that talk to each other, call out emergency services for an accident and stop automatically when the driver becomes tired.
Scientists say the technology already exists for drivers to programme a destination into their onboard computer, then sit back while the car takes them there. Fortunately for those who enjoy driving, the infrastructure for such a system is many years away.
The automotive revolution started some years ago and has been quietly gaining pace since. ABS anti lock brakes – which override driver-braking in a skid and keep the car in a straight line – are commonplace and credited with saving countless lives. Yet when they were introduced, there was opposition from many who resented the idea of ceding control to a computer.
It was the forerunner of many similar systems. Braking and stability systems are a hotbed of acronyms: among them EBD – electronic brakeforce distribution; VDC – vehicle dynamic control; and HBA – hydraulic brake assistance. All are designed to correct drivers' bad habits or inability to adapt to road conditions. If you don't have one of these on your car now, you will soon. Europe and the US have set a 2012 deadline for all new cars to be fitted with another acronym, electronic stability control (ESB).
Most technology changes are made with safety in mind. Some develop so quickly it's hard to keep pace. The first cars to use airbags had only one, for the driver. Then a second was added, for the front-seat passenger. Now there are side bags, curtain bags and even knee bags.
It won't stop there. For the new generation of smart airbags, in-car sensors assess a passenger's size, weight and seat position, as well as the vehicle's speed, before deploying bags with the appropriate force.
Then there are exterior airbags. Most pedestrian deaths are caused by the head colliding with the bonnet, windscreen and A-pillar. In Europe, solutions include pop-up hoods and windscreen airbags. Some industry analysts predict 50% of premium-segment vehicles will have pedestrian safety systems by 2010.
Ordinary cars suffer serious damage when hit by high-riding 4x4s and sports utility vehicles. Engineers are designing airbags that explode from the front and sides of a 4×4 when collision is imminent.
Though safety is the overriding issue there are other so-called advances such as automatic rain sensors and systems that allow cars to parallel-park themselves with no hand on the wheel.
Some gimmicks seem unnecessary, can over complicate onboard computers and lead to system failure. Not long ago a Mercedes-Benz executive told the FM: "We need to simplify. Our engineers have removed 600 bells and whistles'. And you know the most depressing thing? Our customers haven't noticed."
Most new technologies, though, have been beneficial. Some luxury cars sport adaptive headlights, which are able to "see around" corners by reacting to speed and the roll of the vehicle to illuminate curves. The technology is expected to be used on 75% of European luxury cars within five years. They have also started to use night-vision systems, which use infrared lights to improve night-time visibility. Using sensor cameras, images up to 300 m ahead are projected onto the windscreen at eye level.
Cameras are likely to play a growing role in vehicle technology. Some motor companies are experimenting with video cameras instead of driver sideview mirrors. If all goes well, these will start going into production within two years. Another camera offering the driver a bird's eye view of the vehicle and its surroundings is already being manufactured. A third system, alerting the driver to speed-limit and no-entry signs, is nearly ready.
In all three cases, images are projected onto the windscreen. The theory, as with all head-up displays – as this windscreen technology is called – is that by not having to turn the head, a driver is less likely to lose concentration.
This inability to concentrate lies behind many of the technologies already in use. Lane-departure warnings – using infrared sensors or miniature cameras – are activated if the car gets too close to lane markers without the driver using the indicator. The warning may be through an alarm, steering correction or gentle seat vibration. Another innovation – the blind-spot warning system – relies on either digital cameras which set off warning lights or radar monitors which display images in the side view mirrors.
Then there's adaptive cruise control, which uses laser and radar sensors to keep your vehicle a safe distance from the one in front.
It's not a big leap from there to fixed-speed traffic. Scientists say the technology exists for cars joining a motorway to automatically match the speed of other cars in their lane. Drivers will take their foot off the accelerator and regain control only when leaving the motorway.
Hi-tech sensors are also taking over inside the cabin. On some vehicles already, the windows will open, the airconditioning blast or the steering wheel shudder if the driver's head droops or eyes show signs of closing. If the fatigue persists, the vehicle may slow or even stop. In a new development, a camera permanently monitors the driver's face. If the driver looks away from the road and the vehicle detects danger ahead, it warns him and prepares for a crash.
If the idea of talking cars sounds like science fiction, it's not. At least one US car brand has sensors which, as soon as a crash occurs, will automatically activate the satellite location system and notify emergency services. Automotive News Europe says the EU wants to implement a similar system it hopes will halve the number of annual road deaths.
Cars will also soon be talking to each other. According to Automotive News, "developers want to create a virtual network on wheels that would monitor signals from brakes, steering and other systems so that a skidding or stopping car can send out signals to nearby vehicles".
Vehicle entry and security systems have undergone huge changes in recent years. The latest generation of hand-held remote controls are like mini computers. They not only lock and unlock doors, but also start the airconditioning, switch on the engine, and even show tyre pressures and fuel levels.
Dramatic though all these changes are, they are only the most visible signs of automotive transformation. Drive-by-wire steering, which negates the need for mechanical links, is only a couple of years away. So is a remarkable system in which wheels will replace the car engine. A project by German technology group Siemens integrates the drivetrain, steering, shock absorbers and brakes directly into the wheels.
Beneath the bonnet, programs to create engines driven by fuel cells, electricity, biofuels and anything else that will reduce pollution and dependence on fossil fuels will also change the way we perceive and drive cars.
As with most new technologies, these changes will initially be limited to luxury cars. The price of development is so high it would not be cost-effective to put them in mass-market vehicles. But as these development costs are amortised and unit costs decrease, their use will become more commonplace.
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