The future of car tech was a major focus of the recent Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Attendees got a close-up look at cars and technology trends they are unlikely to see at any standard auto show. Here are some of the most notable innovations coming down the pike, a remarkable glimpse into the future of car tech.
The Talking BMW
BMW edged out much of the competition with its i Vision Dee talking electric sedan. The car uses artificial intelligence that according to BMW “will go far beyond the level of voice control and driver assistance systems we are familiar with today.”
The “Dee” in this futuristic car stands for Digital Emotional Experience. Aside from the ability to speak, the car boasts of a display offering driver information at the base of the windshield. The display can show the driver what’s happening on the road by way of virtual reality. More than that, according to BMW, the car uses artificial intelligence (AI) to express how it “feels” by way of screens that are affixed to the front grille. Apparently, the car recognizes the driver as they approach and gets “excited.”
As if that wasn’t enough, the i Vison Dee exterior is faced with 240 e-ink panels, including on the wheels, that can change the car’s color, much like the automaker’s iXflow model. The car tech is very advanced and can “paint” your car in either solid colors or patterns. Expect these features that so embody the future of car tech to become available beginning in 2025
Honda and Sony Unite
Afeela is a collaborative effort between Honda and Sony. The car is a midsize sedan. What’s its special brand of car tech? Well, Afeela, say its creators, is outfitted with some 45 cameras and sensors offering several automated features for drivers. This suggests that the future of car tech is a car that can “feel you.” The companies say that the car offers “best in class entertainment,” and the grille will have a small display providing information to owners and pedestrians. The car will have a small display on the grille to provide information to both pedestrians and the vehicle’s owner and is set to begin deliveries in the spring of 2026.
The Future of Car Tech in a Truck? The Ram Revolution
There’s a new car in town. Well, not quite yet. Stellantis, the manufacturer of the Ram Revolution offered only a prototype of what we’ll see from this company’s first electric pickup truck. Some of the futuristic car tech features you can expect to see in the Ram Revolution includes a glass roof with adjustable tint; retractable steering wheel, third-row jump seats, plus a convenient 18-foot pass-through so long items can rest unimpeded from the truck bed all the way to the front. The revolution—the Ram Revolution, that is—goes on sale in 2024. Why not? Truckers also look to the future of car tech as a boon that makes life better and more efficient.
Volkswagen “Future of Car Tech” Offering
Volkswagen is launching a first electric sedan, the ID.7. The car is of a substantial size with a wheelbase of similar size to that of the Tesla Model S, coming in at 116.9 inches. Car tech features for this sedan include digitally-controlled air vents; a 15-inch touchscreen, and an augmented reality head-up display. You won’t have to wait long to drive this exemplar of the amazing future of car tech. Expect the ID.7 to debut during the second quarter of 2023.
Volvo’s HD Maps Feature
Volvo’s electric SUV, the EX90, is a seven-seater “highly advanced computer on wheels.” The EX90 is fully integrated with Google’s HD Maps. High definition road maps use 3D imagery to feed information to the vehicle about road conditions and landmarks. Combined with the EX90 arsenal of radar, cameras, and sensors, the greater detail of these maps helps the vehicle understand where it is on the road, for more accurate driving. Deliveries of this electric family-sized vehicle begin in early 2024.
