The automotive industry has seen remarkable developments over the last few years, supported by different types of advanced technologies. We’ve seen more electric vehicles, increased digitalization, advanced vehicle identification systems, and more, from F1 vehicles to compact cars. Technological developments are driving every industry in the modern world and the auto sector is no exception.
But, where are we heading and what will we see in the future? In this article, we will outline the top automotive technology trends that we can expect to see in 2022.
Wireless Technology
The average car contains more than 100 million codes and around 30,000 parts. With evolving technology, these numbers are likely to rise even further. In particular, modern smart cars will use more information for navigation.
In 2022, we’re set to see 5G technology take navigation to the next level. For example, two smart cars on highways can exchange a lot of information, including weather patterns, traffic movement, road conditions, and more. In the future, all of these exchanges will be done instantly using 5G wireless technology.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Engines
Another trend that is likely to dominate the auto industry in 2022 is hydrogen fuel cells. This exciting new technology has a lot of potentials to benefit the environment. Before going any further, let’s explain a little about what these cells are exactly.
Hydrogen fuel cells burn cleanly, with a chemical reaction that only releases water and oxygen. This process is completely harmless to the environment, making it a much more eco-friendly fuel option than fossil fuels or even electric cars.
In recent years, many companies have started exploring hydrogen fuel cell engines. So, we could see a major breakthrough in hydrogen fuel cell engines soon, and this could very well happen in 2022.
Automotive Cameras
In 2017, the automotive camera market was valued at over $11 billion, and you can expect it to increase up to $24 billion by 2025. One of the dominating aspects of this trend is onboard cameras that can capture high-quality videos to improve driver safety.
With road accidents increasing every day, this kind of technology is becoming increasingly valuable. With more companies entering this area and more investment in developing innovative technology, we’re set to see more advanced automotive cameras in 2022.
Advanced Autonomy
Self-driving technology has a range of useful applications. Currently, this technology has reached what the industry refers to as level 3, with level 5 being complete autonomy where a human driver is not required and the zero being no autonomy at all. Experts are predicting that the technology could reach level 4 or even level 5 in 2022.
When talking about autonomous cars, we can’t overlook Tesla. Currently, Tesla’s autopilot mode is at level 2 and they are very close to breaking through to level 3 it is only a matter of time until they reach level 4 or 5. In other words, Tesla will transform their cars to a full autopilot mode within a few short years and this is certainly an area to watch in 2022.
Energy Storing Body Panel
Although traditional batteries have driven cars for decades, they come with a range of disadvantages. When these batteries get damaged it can lead to disaster. Damaged batteries are not only less efficient, but they may produce toxic leaks or cause devastating fires.
A safer alternative is to use energy-storing body panels. These body panels can store energy which can then be used by the vehicle when needed. However, the problem is that this technology is still in its early stages and has not yet been fully tested. However, we’re likely to see this technology in action soon as it has the potential to be an excellent replacement for the traditional car battery.
Perception Sensors
Sight and hearing are two of the most important senses and we rely on them heavily every time we drive. On the other hand, smart cars rely on cameras, Radar, LiDAR, and ultrasonic sensors to replace these human senses. However, all of these technologies have their limitations, and scientists are busily looking for solutions. One solution that is currently under development is improved perception sensors and we may very well see this hit the automotive industry in 2022.
Augmented Reality
Over the past few years, Augmented Reality (AR) has gained a great deal of popularity within the gaming industry. However, the applications for Augmented Reality are not limited to the gaming world.
There are a number of AR applications being tested at the moment in many industries, including the auto sector. These developments could lead to cool features like terrain mapping, road safety, and parking assistance in 2022.
Wrapping Up
Technology has transformed the automotive industry in the last few decades and there is a range of potential breakthroughs we could see in 2022. These include technologies like hydrogen fuel cells engines that could benefit the environment as well as developments like 5G, full autonomy, and automotive cameras that will greatly increase vehicle safety.
