Technology is changing so much about our world. It is improving efficiency and productivity. It is helping us solve problems, but it is also creating new ones. When it comes to the environment, tech is providing ways to decrease the amount of greenhouse gasses, but it is also using resources to create batteries and chips. One part of the world that has changed considerably is the automotive industry. Cars are becoming something that contrasts what they used to be. They are becoming safer and more environmentally friendly. Here are some ways they are doing so.
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Automation
With image capture technology, computers in the car, and advancing GPS, cars are becoming automated. Automation is when a machine can perform tasks without human interference or assistance. While this technology is still being developed, when it becomes commonplace the safety of vehicles will greatly improve.
Currently, there is concern that the driver will become complacent. This may be true now, but as time goes on and every new car can drive itself, the roads will get safer. There will be less accidents. Traffic will improve. We will also be able to get things done while we’re in the car. Automation will greatly change the whole world; cars are just one aspect of life that is being enhanced by it.
Electric Vehicles
For a long time, electric vehicles were inaccessible. They were expensive and uncommon. This has changed. They aren’t much more expensive than the average gas-fueled car. Not only are they more affordable now, but electric cars will also continue to go down in price.
Furthermore, EVgo electric chargers are popping up in parking lots, on the side of the road, and are being installed in people’s homes. Electric cars are much better for carbon pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but their batteries aren’t the best for the environment. Only time will tell how much these batteries will harm the planet, but they remain a viable alternative to the untenable pollution of the traditional car.
Accessible Car Rental
It is already popular to lease a car, but renting has also become an option. Companies like Uber and Lyft are offering the ability to rent a car for a day or even a few hours. This is helpful to combat the impact on the environment for several reasons. For one, less cars will need to be manufactured if this catches on. In addition, people will only use a car sometimes instead of all day-every day. This decreases the person’s carbon footprint and impact on the planet. Car rental will especially be popular in cities and when they can drive themselves to your house, allowing you to hop right in.
Rideshare Advances
Rideshare has become an effective part of our world. Drivers are renting cars for their work. People in large cities are using rideshare to get around instead of buying a car. These companies are expanding and going to new places. Around the world you can hail an Uber. With less people driving, the release of carbon into the atmosphere will slow. Like the ability to rent a car, rideshare is another resource that is valuable to combat climate change.
Remote Augmented Reality Testing
With augmented reality, car companies are now able to test their vehicles without a driver in the car. Using this remote technology, car-testing experts can drive a car normally without being inside it. This allows them to test the limits of their models and come up with new safety features. Companies like Volvo are taking this to its furthest extent. The ability to test drive cars without putting any humans in danger is a new thing. Soon, carmakers will respond to this by making safer and safer vehicles.
Technology is changing our world in all sorts of ways, but the automotive industry is one of the areas that is evolving like no other. Cars are getting safer and more environmentally friendly. They are becoming something vastly different than they used to be. Whether it’s the ability to test drive models remotely or the fact that cars will one day be fully automated self-driving entities, the automotive industry is never going to be the same. It is one of the areas in technology showing the advancements as they come.