London, England - Ford has been developing car seats that can detect if the driver is having a heart attack - just one aspect of a rapidly developing industry in which internet-connected cars boast a host of new functions. A people carrier has already been launched that can read and react to speed limit signs. So what else should you expect from the cars of the future?
FINGERPRINT KEYS
Those who are always losing their keys will love biometric access to their cars. Biometrics is the technology that enables devices to identify you by scanning physical features such as your fingerprints or eyeballs.
Already used at passport barriers and on smartphones, there’s little doubt it will appear on cars soon, which means unlocking your motor will be a simple matter of holding a finger against a pad on your car door. The car could be started the same way, or combined with a retinal scan for extra security.
TALKING CARS
You may find the idea of your car chatting to nearby vehicles unsettling, but vehicle-to-vehicle communication is almost here.
The system will enable cars travelling down the same stretch of road to update each other on their location and speed, and to use that information to keep drivers safe. An alarm might sound if a driver several hundred yards ahead slams on their brakes, and your car and its neighbours could automatically slow down to avoid a pile-up.
SELF-DRIVING CARS
Barely a week passes without mention of a car that can drive itself, such as Google’s prototype two-seater. Although the technology exists for a vehicle to pootle by itself at slow speeds on a simple route, the ability for a vehicle to travel hundreds of miles up in varied conditions is a long way off.
What we are more likely to see are cars driving themselves in specific situations. Automatic parallel parking will become more common, and it will be possible for cars to drive themselves when they join and exit motorways, by using vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology.
WINDSCREEN DISPLAYS
Although some cars already feature basic head-up displays, in which information such as your speed is projected onto the windscreen, this technology will become more sophisticated. Directions from your satnav can be beamed onto the windscreen, so you do not need to take your eyes from the road. Improvements in glass manufacture will also make such images a lot clearer.
IN-CAR ADVERTS
With an increasing number of cars connected to the internet through satnav systems or wi-fi, it will soon be possible for our dashboards to bombard us with adverts, based on our social media profiles and our location.
One can just imagine being nagged electronically to pull up as we drive past a fast-food chain. It’s enough to make you want to buy a bike . . .
Daily Mail