9 technologies that will transform tomorrow's cars
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Do electric cars make sense? Will we be able to charge them directly from the street? When will we have self-inflating tires, self-darkening windows? What is the future of the most important mechanism in human life - the car?
Here are 9 technologies that may soon become integral options for cars in the near future.
1 Robotics
Continental CUbE is the concept of autonomous city transport - a self-driving taxi that can be called using a button on a mobile app. This year, the technology will enter mass production for the French company EasyMile.
CUbE uses cameras, radars and lidars to fully navigate city traffic, and an NVIDIA chip to replace the driver. For added safety, all brake-managed systems are practically dual - if one fails, the other can work on its own.
Engineers recognize that the human factor is still a problem - in unusual situations, a person can improvise, and the machine will become confused. But the potential of the system is huge.
2 Voice Assistant
A system that you can give a voice command to change the radio or turn on the air conditioning. She has several advantages.
Firstly, she understands normal speech and will not be mistaken if you ask her two or three different questions in one sentence. Secondly, the assistant can diagnose the car in case of problems and will offer to register at the service station.
The system is so convenient that even a simple phrase “I'm hungry” activates the search for nearby restaurants, which is very convenient when traveling to unfamiliar cities.
3 Self-inflating tires
Many motorists are already familiar with the technology, thanks to which some wheel systems can regulate the pressure in the tires, that is, inflate them on the go. This can have great benefits for both safety and fuel economy.
But the next step is Conti Adapt, a technology in which the tire and rim can even change their size and shape depending on the conditions, and then for the first time in history we will have tires that are equally good on dry and wet surfaces.
A year ago, it was just a concept, but the technology is already taking shape and is likely to be ready for mass production in 2022-2023.
4 Film projectors instead of headlights
Together with lighting manufacturer Osram, Continental has developed a new generation sensor with a hitherto unknown resolution of just 4096 pixels per headlight. They are excellent at eclipsing other vehicles on the road so they don't dazzle them while still maintaining visibility in the direction of the vehicle.
The range of the light beam is up to 600 meters. And this is just the beginning - very soon the resolution of the headlights can become so high that films can be projected through them.
In addition, the development will allow you to create a real projection of your car to determine if there will be enough parking space or if the car will pass in a narrow passage.
5 Self-dimming windows
This innovative technology consists of a special film with liquid crystals and paint particles, which is mounted in the windows of the car. Under the influence of a low voltage current, crystals and particles are rebuilt and darken the window.
The advantages of such a system are many - more comfort without sacrificing visibility, as well as lower emissions and consumption, because a parked car with tinted windows heats up much less, and therefore does not require long-term work from the air conditioner. The driver can tint each glass individually or even parts of the glass - which will eliminate the use of windshield visors.
6 Intelligent heating system
More efficient distribution and control of heat flow can significantly reduce the consumption and emissions of even ordinary cars. But for electric vehicles that depend only on a battery for heating or cooling, this is an important factor.
The system consists of energy-efficient pumps, several sensors, including pipelines, and cooling flow control valves (CFCV).
At a temperature of -10 degrees, which is typical for winters of medium latitudes, the mileage of an electric car can be reduced by 40% (because a third of the electricity in the battery goes to heating). Continental reduces negative effects by up to 15%.
7 End of aquaplaning
Most terrible accidents occur when a car at high speed falls into a puddle (even a shallow one) and loses traction on the asphalt. However, Continental combines its new pavement recognition system with 360-degree cameras. It can not only warn of a water obstacle, but also reduce the speed of the car itself.
This system has been tested on an Alfa Romeo Giulia and it actually works. With the protection turned off, the car flew off the road at a speed of 70 km / h. When activated, the system intervened a few meters before the dangerous area, and the car turned quietly.
8 Compact electric drive
In this completely new technology Continental, the electric motor, transmission and electronic unit are assembled in one module, which weighs only 80 kilograms. The compact size does not prevent him from developing power up to 150 kilowatts.
The unit was tested on a prototype by SONO Motors, a Munich-based electric vehicle startup, but in fact the system could be built into a myriad of other models. This will drastically reduce not only the weight, but also the price of electric vehicles.
9 Power Electronics
When it comes to electric vehicles, people only think about the electric motor and batteries. But there is a third, no less important component - power electronics, which controls the interaction between them. It was at this point that Tesla had the advantage for years.
However, the new technology from Continental is rated for currents up to 650 A. This development has already been equipped with the Jaguar iPace. Thanks to the unique system, the car received the title of "European and World Car of the Year".
