Sustainable Innovations In The Cars Of The Future
With climate change now a worryingly tangible reality, manifesting across the globe in the form of rising temperatures, melting ice, wildfires, droughts, and violent storms, sustainability is one of the biggest concerns as we look to the future.
The automotive industry, in particular, has already been embracing a range of sustainable solutions over the course of the last few years – perhaps most notably, electric vehicles, or EVs.
In fact, these cars have become so popular that, as of 2020, 10 million were cruising across the tarmac all over the world. By 2030, the number of electric vehicles on the roads is expected to reach 145 million.
Of course, EVs aren’t the only sustainable innovation to be brought to life by the automotive industry. Read on to discover more about these remarkable vehicles and the other fascinating developments that are being made in order to make our daily commute safer, more convenient, and – above all – more environmentally friendly.
Greater Connectivity For Safer Travel
While maintaining low emissions is a major focus for the car industry, safety is also of paramount importance, and this is an aspect of sustainable vehicles that will continue to be developed with rigorous focus. With improvements in technology making enhanced connectivity a fact of daily life, car manufacturers are looking at ways in which this connectivity can be used to promote safer driving.
For example, using 5G, cars could potentially exchange information and traffic updates with other vehicles, sharing knowledge about the roads ahead and the infrastructure located in different towns and cities. They could also be connected to strategically placed sensors located at intersections and even in traffic lights, which may help to prevent queues and congestion.
The goal of this flow of information would be to aim to reduce accidents to as low a level as possible by providing updates about traffic flow, potential obstacles, and other important details that can help drivers choose the safest and most convenient route.
The Rise Of Autonomous Driving
Self-driving – or autonomous – cars are perhaps a sight we all envision when we think of the future of road travel. Not only are they purported to be safer and more convenient, but it is also hoped that they will provide a more sustainable form of transport. This is because their precise control of the car’s speed will allow for more efficient usage of fuel, which should help to contribute to lowering emissions.
Unfortunately, so far, self-driving cars have not been as successful as manufacturers may have hoped, despite the billions of dollars that have been spent trying to develop them. But that does not mean that the future will be devoid of autonomous cars.
Already, a number of vehicles on the world’s roads have some autonomous elements, such as lane-keep assist, self-parking, driver monitoring, and lane changing.
The next level of self-driving could be with us in 2023 and will give the driver the opportunity to be more of a passenger, while the car takes control of all of the general aspects of driving. However, the permission of the driver will still be required.
The technology that powers this type of vehicle relies on the cutting-edge usage of sensors, radar, mapping systems and high-speed processing to allow the car to determine its own course.
However, this level of autonomy will require the development of new regulations, and there are a number of people who worry about the safety of a driver-less car – this antipathy means that it could be a long and bumpy road before fully autonomous vehicles become a mainstay on our roads.
Vehicle To Grid Charging
As we’ve mentioned, electric vehicles are increasingly popular these days, although there still needs to be substantial investment in developing the charging infrastructure around the world before they can really take over. Businesses start investing in charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, which influences the adoption of the vehicles. With more commercial electric vehicle charging stations available, individuals are more likely to choose electric vehicles as their preferred mode of transportation. As these charging stations become increasingly common in workplaces and retail locations, people can conveniently charge their EVs during their daily routines, making electric vehicles a more practical and accessible choice for everyone. This growth in commercial electric vehicle charging stations contributes to a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Fortunately, there are a number of developments in the pipeline, including the prospect of vehicle-to-grid charging. With this method of charging, electric car owners would not only be taking from the grid, but feeding back into it from energy stored in their car’s battery at times of peak demand. In this way, they would not only be a consumer of electricity, but a provider too, making the charging of their EV both more sustainable and more beneficial.
If you are keen to invest in an electric car and take advantage of the latest EV innovations – including rapid charging and vehicle-to-grid charging – you don’t necessarily have to buy a car in order to do so. Leasing an electric vehicle may be a more suitable option for you and your family. To help you decide, why not read an in-depth guide on how to lease an EV? You can get up to speed on everything from details on pricing to the safety ratings on LV ElectriX.
Electrified Roads
Electric roads may seem like a leap of the imagination, but in fact, it is an innovation that is already being put into practice. In Detroit, the Michigan Department of Transportation is planning to construct a 1-mile stretch of electric road that will have the capability to charge electric vehicles, both while they are driving and while they are stationary. This will be the first in-road charging system to be built in the USA, and it is hoped that the road will be operational sometime in 2023.
Michigan’s Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, described the project as “the next piece of the puzzle for sustainability”. However, Michigan’s one-mile charging system will not be the first such road in the world. Sweden has already been pioneering this form of electric vehicle charging, having opened its first such road back in 2018. The country is committed to becoming independent from fossil fuel by 2030, and while so far its usage of electrified roads is minimal, it is hoped that the innovation will be adopted across the country.
Hydrogen Cars
While electric cars have been eagerly embraced across the globe, another sustainable vehicle, the hydrogen car, has not experienced the same success to date. Nevertheless, hydrogen-powered motors could become more popular in due course, particularly as they provide a much more environmentally friendly form of transport.
Not sure what a hydrogen car is or how it works? Essentially, these vehicles run on hydrogen in the same manner as a petrol car runs on fuel. They are equipped with a hydrogen tank and hydrogen fuel cells and burn the hydrogen along with oxygen to produce energy to power the car, as well as water.
Hydrogen can also be burned in combination with gasoline, which can help to reduce the amount of emissions produced by the vehicle. However, a pure hydrogen car will produce barely any harmful emissions because hydrogen is a clean source of fuel, which is the main reason why it offers so much potential for the future of road travel. Hydrogen cars are also an appealing prospect because they are much more lightweight than petrol or diesel-powered vehicles, which means they can accelerate faster and require less energy.
Unfortunately, the current shortage of hydrogen infrastructure means that hydrogen cars have currently not been widely adopted – but with more investment, it seems likely that we will soon be seeing many more hydrogen-powered vehicles on our roads as part of our urgent focus on promoting sustainable travel.
