What does the future look like?

[JuiceTheGator]

I read this early this morning and it got me wondering where auto design is headed. There's so much talk about tech that I fear exterior design might be lame. But new materials could save us there.

Technology disrupters have arrived at the auto industry's doorstep. Quotes from last week's opening of the Frankfurt auto show: "What has been a evolution is going to be a revolution." - CEO of Lamborghini; "By the end of this decade we will have transformed all of our new cars into smart phones on wheels." - CEO of Volkswagen; "What is important for us is that the brain of the car, the operating system, is not ios or Android or someone else, it is our brain." - CEO of Daimler.

Car companies will continue to strive to reduce weight and emissions but electronics will be at the heart of the upheaval. Audi, BMW and Daimler bought Nokia's mapping business (Nokia Here) to keep rivals gaining control of the technology. German parts supplier ZF Friedrichshafen acquired TRW Automotive for its braking and safety system. New safety offerings from Israeli startup Mobileye are rapidly gaining acceptance. Harman International is on a roll with its infotainment system. Bosch has become the world's leading manufacturer of radar sensors which enable self-driving cars. Better call your favorite auto parts analyst.

I don't wanna' drive some pod looking shit. Any far-out future leaks? I bet Apple's car will be a geekmobile.

 

[outofyourmind]

"What is important for us is that the brain of the car, the operating system, is not ios or Android or someone else, it is our brain." - CEO of Daimler.

I have a problem with this because 90% of the people on the road are fucking morons now.

New designs would be great. The silhouettes of every car made looks the same. Nobody has the guts to do anything with their designs at all.

It will come down to what it always does with people who know the difference and that is reliability and cost of maintenance. So GM and Dodge won't fare well with it.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

I pretty much have zero use for all the shit they put in a car as standard equipment these days. As soon as they start letting the car do the driving, parking, etc. I'm not even listening any longer.

And the looks of almost every new car, especially on this side of the ditch known as the Atlantic Ocean are brutal. And I can't tell one Japanese/Korean car from the other anymore unless I see an insignia.

 

[fordman84]

When bored my mind sometimes wanders on this. I think at some point there is going to be a HUGE pain point, and that is when smart cars become legitimately possible. At that point, the human powered larger cars become the issue and I think the gov't steps in and outlaws them. Even as a car guy, I would be alright with that as long as the self driving cars are reliable.

I like to imagine how nice it would be to have a personal driver, never sit in traffic, be able to drink any time I want because I have a DD, can work or eat or fuck while on my way to work.

 

[JuiceTheGator]

Well, it's coming. There will be a dedicated lane on every highway and trains of self driving cars drafting each other using the same tech as already in radar cruise control.

I doubt it'll ever work just for driving around town.