Tech has finally come to the auto industry and it’s revolutionizing the way you drive. If you’re bored with your set of wheels, there’s never been a better time to get excited about the tech innovations going on in the auto industry right now. The year 2018 promises to deliver on major new tech in vehicles and your options are growing. You’ve got the latest tech innovations in your pocket, at your office, and in your home. It’s about time you got it in your car, too.
Tesla Model S
When it comes to tech behind the wheel, Tesla remains king. The Tesla Model S electric vehicle combines high-tech with luxury driving, not to mention it just happens to be the fastest production car in the world, ever since a software update called Ludicrous Mode unlocked acceleration of 0 to 60 in less than 2.3 seconds. If you live for speed, style, and all the latest tech features, the Tesla Model S remains unparalleled. With the infrastructure for electric vehicles expanding across North America, anyone thinking about buying a Tesla is coming in at the right time.
As far as tech features go, besides Ludicrous Mode, its luxurious touch screen, autopilot, embedded telematics, and cloud-based software driving vehicle performance put it miles ahead of the competitors.
Toyota Mira
The Toyota Mirai is proof that hydrogen fuel is viable technology and in a market where electric vehicles are only starting to gain traction, it’s opening up a new world of possibilities. The big advantage of the Toyota Mirai is the time it takes to refuel. Plug-in electric vehicles can take hours to charge. They’re convenient for your typical commute, but longer-range trips can be time consuming, and there are already issues at charging stations where people plug-in and park, instead of moving on for the next person. The Toyota Mirai fills up with hydrogen which is then converted into electricity to propel the car, meaning refueling only takes minutes, just like a gasoline-powered vehicle. So far, fueling infrastructure may be limited outside of California, but tech savvy West Coasters have a new option with longer range and faster refueling.
Audi A8
Is the Audi A8 the true future of self-driving cars? More than a few car critics think so, with Audi abandoning the race to develop fully autonomous vehicles (which are still years away, both in terms of manufacturing and legislation on city streets and highways) in the 2018 Audi A8. Instead, they see autonomous vehicles working in conjunction with human drivers and they may have solved the hand-off issue, where auto makers have struggled to switch from autopilot to human driving.
The Audi A8 uses sensors and cameras to watch the driver, using facial recognition and sensors in the steering wheel. When the car determines it cannot solve a driving issue on its own and requires human intervention, visual and audio cues alert the driver to take over. If they don’t work immediately, the car automatically pumps the brakes and tightens the seat belt, and finally it will simply slow to a stop. The Audi A8 treats self-driving as an extension of the driver, with self-driving software interacting with human drivers.
The future of driving is in tech. Isn’t it time you started driving it?
