Here at DMV.com we are participating in the #MY3THANKS blog carnival where the goal is to outline 3 things we are thankful for in 2013. As we have covered the auto industry in the past year, we decided to outline the top 3 innovations in the industry. We are grateful for them.
Today, as customers get more knowledgeable and demanding, innovation becomes even more important than it used to be, and that’s why pretty much all car manufacturers, as well as other companies that are involved in the industry in some way, have significantly increased their R&D investment in recent years. Most of the innovations and in the auto industry that were introduced this year have to do with in-car connectivity, autonomous driving, as well as fuel efficiency and green technologies.
Audi’s Piloted Parking System
German car maker Audi developed a technology that allows cars to park themselves. The company demonstrated the technology that includes 12 ultrasonic sensors installed in a car, that help it navigate through a parking garage and locate a vacant parking spot. This piloted parking system only works in a garage that has a local Wi-Fi hotspot, and 3G or 4G network, so that the car can connect to the garage’s central computer, that uses a laser to track the car’s movements and map parking spots that have been taken by other cars. When you enter the garage, you can step out of the vehicle and use a smartphone app to activate the system and have the car drive itself to the nearest empty spot. There are a couple of issues in regards with liability and legislation that are preventing this technology from becoming a standard feature in production models, but Audi is confident that those issues will be resolved soon.
Volvo’s Cordless Charging
The lack of charging stations and range anxiety are two of the most significant issues that are preventing electric cars from becoming more popular among consumers. That’s what Volvo wanted to address with its cordless charging technology, that allows electric car owners to recharge their cars without having to plug the into power outlets. The system employs an electromagnetic field for transferring energy between a charger and the car’s battery. With this technology, all you need to do is park your car over an inductive pad that, the company believes, will be installed in parking garages, parking lots, driveways, and even on streets, and the charging will start automatically. This way, electric cars will be able to recharge themselves as they go.
Ford’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost Engine
This is definitely one of the biggest innovations in the auto industry in 2013. It’s a highly-efficient, 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder engine, which delivers better performances than most larger engines. It delivers 123 horsepower, providing an amazing fuel economy of 65 mpg, and emissions of 99g/km, which makes it pretty eco-friendly. The engine provides such great performance thanks to a turbocharger, and the variable valve timing feature. At the moment, this engine is available in several Ford models, including the C-Max, B-Max, Fiesta, Focus, and Transit Connect. It’s a proof that not only hybrid or electric cars, but gasoline-powered cars can achieve great fuel efficiency and low emissions, as well.