(Newswire.net — November 19, 2019) — The car industry has undergone massive growth and changes in the last few decades that are going to have an interesting ripple effect for the innovations coming in the future. Cars are now safer and more dependable than they’ve ever been in history. There’s also been some exciting changes in the world of automotive technology that are creating waves in the industry as a whole. From self-driving cars to rideshares, the automobile market is hot and transforming before our very eyes.
Here are some of the major changes that consumers saw this year and trends that are shaping the future of the auto industry:
Self-driving technology
Imagine this, you order a rideshare vehicle after a night out drinking at the bar and you got outside to patiently wait for your ride. As your car pulls up, you notice something quite peculiar – there’s absolutely no driver in the driver’s seat. Welcome to the future: self-driving cars.
In fact, Google’s fleet of Waymo cars are showing consumers the promise of automated driving technology. It’s being tested out in the metro area of Phoenix currently with cars that have driven millions of simulated roads to prepare for carting around passengers. While the technology is still being perfected, an operator sits in the front passenger seat to take over when necessary. Waymo’s cars have done remarkably well although the self-driving software does have issues with recognizing pedestrians and cyclists at the moment. In addition, the legal implications of getting into a car accident with a self-driving car are still being determined.
For example, who is at fault for an accident involving a robot? Who is at fault if a pedestrian jaywalks and is injured by a self-driving car?
Besides Google’s Waymo fleet, Tesla is also dipping its toes into the self-driving waters. Tesla owners can “call” their car in a parking lot and it will navigate the vehicle to your location if it’s within a certain distance. That technology has been relatively successful although there are some reports of rogue Teslas almost getting into collisions with other cars and pedestrians.
Rise in car leases
Leasing a car instead of purchasing one outright is a trend that’s been growing. For example, in 2016, leasing peaked at 28.7% for all vehicle transactions. 4.3 million cars were leased that year. One demographic that favors leasing in particular are millennials. Almost one third of millennials opted to lease a car rather than buy one in 2016.
If you’re interested in leasing, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of this option. For some, it might make sense if you don’t plan on driving the car much and if the lease price per month is lower than a monthly financing payment would be. Make sure to check out deals with your local dealerships like Audi lease specials or BMW lease specials, which may help make the option of leasing more viable compared to purchasing.
Electric vehicles growth
Electric vehicles have been increasing in number and variety in recent years. You can expect to see more battery-powered electric vehicles as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Industry experts are anticipating a growth of 38% in the global electric vehicle industry.
Rideshare domination
Some futurists think that the auto industry will reach a point where consumers no longer want the hassle of maintaining and owning their own personal vehicle. The tipping point? When it’s twice as cheap to simply rely on rideshare or a shared vehicle rather than owning a personal vehicle.
Companies such as Ridecell are making it possible for startups to create their own Uber service based on a variety of driving service models and platforms. Ridesharing, carsharing, driverless, or driven, Ridecell gives startups the platform and technology to help new ridesharing transportation services flourish.
Takeaways: automotive changes are here to stay
Although the car industry is changing, there will always be traditional cars as long as there is oil available. While alternative fuels and battery-operated vehicles are growing in importance, so too are rideshare companies as individuals give up cars in favor of the convenience of multi-modal transportation.
Although it might take a while for you to see some of the technologies on the road, you can be sure that within the next few decades, the highways and roads of the world will be utterly transformed.