The Future of Car Design and Manufacture

NEXUS Vehicle Rental THE FUTURE OF CAR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE Car manufacturers usually give their models a redesign every five to seven years, each reiteration, better than the last. This gradual improvement isn't always immediately perceptible, but looking back just 25 to 50 years can highlight just how far car manufacturing has come. Here, we investigate questions such as: What will cars look like in the next 25 to 50 years? What types of engines and tyres will they use? And will we even drive cars at all as tech takes over? ENGINE TYPES Many experts believe that internal combustion engines running on petrol and diesel are no longer viable options for cars moving into the 2020's. In recent years, manufacturers have made steps to incorporate cleaner and more sustainable technologies. Electric Hydrogen One of the most significant changes to vehicle engines in recent years has been the introduction of electric motors. Right now they are often part of a hybrid system where the electric motor is used for short distance commuting and Another alternative to the traditional combustion engine is hydrogen power. A chemical reaction between hydrogen supports a regular combustion engine, used for longer distance travelling. In the future, the electricity grid will take more of its power from renewable sources and batteries will have greater capacity, meaning we are likely to see electric becoming a viable option as the sole source of power for vehicles. and oxygen creates electricity inside a fuel cell. Amazingly, the only by-product of this process is water! Toyota are currently creating a small number of Hydrogen vehicles, but with improving technology and benefits over electric such as not having to wait for batteries to charge, hydrogen could become a popular option over the next 25 to 50 years. TECHNOLOGY All major car manufacturers are working on self-driving systems. The technology started out with radar adaptive cruise control and parking sensors for blind spot monitoring, and has been improving gradually over the last 20 years. Vehicles exist today that can drive and navigate through traffic by themselves. We are very much in the test phase right now, however, the technology has seen some controversy with more than one big brand manufacturer experiencing incidents involving prototype vehicles. The technology is improving rapidly, and we could see cars driving by themselves in day to day life in the not too distant future. TYRES Tyre manufacturer, Goodyear, believe that over the next 20 years cars will become ever more connected, able to communicate information about road conditions to the user of the vehicle. Tyres that connect wirelessly to the car's computers would be able to relay data about composition and performance, improving the efficiency of the ABS system. Beyond that, information about the road surface and temperature could be monitored and there is already some research and development into tyres that can adapt their shape to these conditions. New, sustainable materials may also be utilised in the future, for example, Silica rich Rice Husk Ash is one resource that could help improve sustainability. INTERIOR Large surfaces, combining digital instruments with infotainment systems is the direction in which car interiors appear to be headed. BMW has already previewed a prototype that includes a full width screen across the cabin. Furthermore, after a two year collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the German manufacturer have announced Liquid Printed Pneumatics', a 3D-printed material that is inflatable and can morph between multiple states. BMW haven't said exactly how the technology will work, but that it will improve "comfort, cushioning and impact performance". The future of car design and manufacturing looks set to undergo some significant changes in the future. We are just starting to see some of these changes, and right now there is a wide range of car types and models available for rental without the upfront financial commitment. Nexus is the UK's leading tech-driven business mobility provider, with nearly 20 years' experience as pioneers in developing innovative technology to make business mobility efficient and effective. Nexus can source any vehicle, anytime, anywhere, and can usually deliver within two hours of a booking being made. Get in touch with Nexus today: www.nexusrental.co.uk in