1. TESLA autopilot – most impressive car innovation of 2015
Tesla rolled out its new Version 7.0 software late this year and it did not disappoint. The updates comes with automatic steering, automatic lane change, side collision warning, and automatic parallel parking.
The autopilot is so good, in fact, people have been posting crazy videos of them using it on YouTube.
Tesla is getting that much closer to perfecting a completely driverless system. It also shows the future for smart car technology: just like a phone, owners can approve software updates to get exposure to new perks.
2. Mitsubishi’s self-driving concept car can parallel park for you.
The car can autonomously respond to road and traffic conditions. But most importantly, it can parallel park for you, which is a pretty magnificent feature — especially for those living in cities where parking spots are notoriously tight.
3. The BMW 7 Series comes with a key fob that features color touch display.
You can see loads of information about the car on the tiny fob. It even allows you to start and kill your car’s engine. The fob can be charged on a wireless charging pad on the console of the BMW.
Car owners can have more power and control over their car even when they’re not in it.
4. The Porsche Mission E, which you can expect to see in five years, comes with a holographic dashboard.
An all-electric concept car with a range of 250 miles that charges in just 15 minutes. The car has eye-tracking technology that will detect where the driver is looking on the dashboard and open the corresponding instrument. The driver can then confirm the selection by pressing a button on the steering wheel.
5. Future Volvo cars could come with different modes for relaxing and driving.
Volvo released a concept car, Concept 26, with “relax,” “drive,” and “create” modes. In drive mode, the car minimizes distractions, while in relax mode, the seats recline to allow the driver to watch TV on a screen attached to the dashboard. The create mode is like an in-between point between relax and drive, allowing the seats to slightly recline.
The company plans on rolling out some of the features included in the Concept 26 when its autonomous vehicles hit the market.
6. Mercedes – Benz concept car comes with four motorized lounge chairs that can be rotated to allow for face-to-face conversations.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled the futuristic concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Jan. 5. The seats can rotate to allow for face-to-face conversations.
7. A hydrogen-powered fuel cell powers this Toyota concept car
Named the FCV Plus, the hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology has already begun rolling out in Toyota’s Mirai car in California. By 2017, the company aims to have as many as 3,000 Mirais on the road in the US.
8. WayRay is using augmented reality so you can get information on your windshield to keep your eyes on the road.
Tech company WayRay created Navion, a heads-up display that projects holographic images onto the driver’s windshield. Only the driver can see the full-color holographic image, which provides the driver with its current speed, how far away the destination is, and the distance until the next turn.
Green arrows will also guide the driver along their route, which could come in handy when it’s night and difficult to see the road.
9. Mobileye created a system that can integrate safety features into any dashboard.
The company created a camera-based collision avoidance system that can be integrated in any vehicle to help drivers avoid hazards. The system will make a sound when the driver is veering out of their lane, tailgating, or if it detects that the vehicle might be on a collision course with a pedestrian or another object.
It can also detect lane markings, traffic signs, and read speed limits, so that it can alert the driver by beeping when they are speeding.
10. This high-tech car seat will give you a massage when it detects you’re stressed.
Automotive parts manufacturer Faurecia and Stanford University’s Center for Design Research developed the car seat, dubbed the Active Wellness seat, that can measure your heart and breathing rate to ensure you’re alert and comfortable.
If it detects you’re becoming stressed, it’ll recommend a back massage. The driver can then choose whether or not to accept the pampering.
11. Nissan concept car comes with advanced touchscreen display that allows you to play video games or chat with friends.
The Nissan concept car is a bit far fetched — its basically a giant driveable tablet that lets you play with the seats the same way you would an iPad. The touch screens accommodate video chats and video game playing, and provides information about the car itself like the distance to your destination.
12. Nissan unveiled a steering wheel that transforms into a tablet.
Nissan unveiled its self-driving, IDS concept car in October, which comes with an animated steering wheel that transforms into a tablet.