The automotive industry in the United States is one of the biggest globally, with every major manufacturer having their vehicles produced in the country. The market has held steady even in these difficult times and is on the road to recovery since 2021.
Furthermore, the industry has undergone massive changes, especially in the last few years, with a heavy influx of technology. This technology penetration has provided new opportunities for manufacturers, customers, and everyone involved in the ecosystem, including auto franchise opportunities. They are also expected to reshape the future of the automotive industry.
Let’s take a look at those technologies and how they are and will impact the automotive industry.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence and other related technologies, like machine learning, computer vision, deep learning, etc., are pioneering the technological influx in the automotive industry. It is the brains behind autonomous cars that have made driving a smoother, simpler, and safer experience.
Moreover, the technology has also helped reduce manufacturing costs by helping reduce manufacturing defects and errors while increasing production speed by automating repetitive tasks. Furthermore, it has also enabled manufacturers to make smart decisions by identifying patterns in data with the help of AI-driven analytics.
Vehicle to Vehicle Communication
LiFi or Light Fidelity technology has made it possible for vehicles to communicate by creating a network of connected cars. This network can transmit information like the speed of the leading vehicle, the braking distance, or obstacles between cars. This information proves helpful in improving the situational awareness of autonomous vehicles. This leads to a safer driving experience and reduces the dependence on human intervention while driving.
Vehicle to Infrastructure Communication
Similar to the vehicle to vehicle communication, LiFi can be used for vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. In it, the vehicles on the road can communicate with road infrastructure such as traffic lights, road signages, etc. This will enable smart traffic control and improve the safety standards for drivers and pedestrians alike.
For example, signage boards equipped with LiFi can help warn the driver of dangerous driving conditions such as low visibility due to fog or steep turns through automated audio tracks or displaying the information on the car’s dashboard.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles are slowly gaining prominence in the automotive world, replacing petrol and diesel vehicles. They are helping get rid of automotive dependence on fossil fuels. This helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels, which are rapidly depleting, and also helps reduce the harm done to the environment caused by the burning of fossil fuels.
While they prove to be a better alternative, electric cars still haven’t become mainstream yet. There are many challenges faced by electric vehicles manufacturers, like charging infrastructure development, keeping the cost of production down, among others, that need to be overcome before we can fully transition to an electric automotive vehicle system.
IoT
The Internet of Things (IoT) involves data communication between each device that can lead to a better driving experience. It consists of smartphones, car sensors, vehicle infrastructure, road infrastructure, etc., that can contribute to an elevated driving experience.
IoT can also help improve road, vehicle, driver, and pedestrian safety and help decongest traffic and reduce pollution caused by vehicles. It can even lead to better and faster payments for fuel and tolls through automated systems, helping save time and money.
3D Printing
3D printing or additive manufacturing brings multiple benefits to the automotive industry, especially in the manufacturing stage. Firstly, the process of creating prototypes becomes simpler, quicker, and economical with 3D printing. Numerous prototypes can be printed in a short period that can accelerate the testing phase.
Similarly, manufacturers can also create spare parts quickly with 3D printing when compared to traditional manufacturing processes. Lastly, the parts produced with 3D printing technology are lighter yet much more durable when compared with traditionally produced parts.
Smart Factories
Major automotive players are creating smart factories across the globe that can lead to standardized, fast, and error-free car production. These factories are equipped with advanced technologies like Robotic Process Automation (RPA), 3D printing, and AI, to name a few. RPA enables automating the assembling process of different components in a quick and error-free manner.
Similarly, as discussed earlier, 3D printing technology can help in more straightforward and quicker prototyping, design spare parts quickly, and produce lighter, durable, and economical automotive components.
These technologies have the power to reshape every aspect of the automobile industry. However, the technologies discussed here only scratch the surface of technologies reshaping the automotive industry. There are many other technologies such as blockchain, machine learning, and cloud computing, among others, that we haven’t even discussed yet. Looking at the way things are shaping up, the future seems truly exciting for the automotive industry.
