Every movie set in the future seems to include flying cars, or cars that drive themselves. This was the case in the 1950s and is still the case today. But if you look around today no one is flying to and from work, and cars are not driving themselves.
Realistically, what futuristic technologies will be implemented in cars two or five years down the road that may make an impact, and which ones would remain just fanciful dreams? iSuppli looked at three new or next-generation technologies that could have a place in the car but have yet to enter or gain a stronghold in the marketplace.
Turning the Car Blue (or Blu)
In the automotive industry, one “blue” technology has been able to not only get a foothold in the industry but also become almost a standard, while another “blu” technology has yet to gain any momentum.
Present in almost every vehicle now, Bluetooth is a technology that makes sense, adds utility and is also cheap to implement.
Blu-ray, however, is the complete opposite of Bluetooth. It does not really add any utility, makes little sense, and is currently expensive to implement in vehicles. The high-definition quality that Blu-ray produces is hard to discern on small screens, and watching movies on the center stack can be dangerous unless there is a split-view monitor.
Cost is another concern. Even though production costs for a Blu-ray player are as low as $50, this does not include the addition of an HD screen. Nonetheless, a place for this technology may exist for aftermarket Rear-Seat Entertainment (RSE) systems in the future.
Charge your Batteries
Wireless charging of portable devices has become of keen interest for both the entire wireless market and automotive OEMs.
But while users can buy mats and pads to wirelessly charge portable devices, one has not been developed for cars. Given the popularity of smart phones, iPods, iPads and other devices—not to mention the often long commutes to and from work for many people—it only makes sense that users seek to recharge their devices in the vehicle.
iSuppli sees the wireless charging of portable devices as a potential boon for vehicles, but the technology for doing this has yet to become reality.
No Keys, No Problem
Losing one’s keys can be annoying and can even happen with cars that include keyless entry systems. But what about using a smart phone—not only to unlock the car but to start it as well? The idea might sound a bit farfetched but is not completely out of the realm of possibilities. In fact, Valeo and Orange demonstrated how this could ber achieved at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
No Flying, but Potentially Cool Additions
Although none of the technologies cited above includes teleportation, flying cars or autonomous vehicles, they still can be considered futuristic. Who would have thought it possible, 10 years ago, to start a car with one’s phone, charge the device by placing it on an adjacent seat, or watch high-definition movies on a long road trip? Even by today’s standards, some of these ideas seem somewhat unbelievable.
But which of these technologies really has a chance in the automotive world?
Already, Audi is offering an accessory for wireless charging—something likely to become more commonplace in the next two to three years.
On the other hand, the idea of smart phones replacing keys--although possible—will take several years to implement and also must prove safe and reliable. The potential for the technology to fall victim to hacking would instigate serious trouble.
For their part, Blu-ray players are the least likely of the three technologies to proliferate the market, with iSuppli predicting an attachment rate of only 4 to 5 percent in 2017. By then, new and better technologies may already be on the market.
Oh, and about those flying cars: the Terrafugia car/plane is set to go into production in 2011.
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