The motor industry, as most people know it in the UK, started with the invention of the car in 1885. As such, the public no longer had to rely on the train, horseback, or tram to get around. You could just hop in your own vehicle and go wherever. Since then, the country has seen the introduction of motorways, sat navs, Labour disputes, automated manufacturing, and the sale of many British car manufacturers to companies overseas. Even the iconic British Mini Cooper is now owned by BMW, a German company. All of this change managed to happen within the first hundred years of the motor industry, and it looks like more changes are bound to come.
Most industries only change to adapt to new technologies and public opinion. These two occurrences lead to what we call trends. As such, the following trends are expected to continue to change the motor industry.
Electricity
The biggest shift occurring in the motor industry at the moment is happening because of public attitudes and because we now have the technology available to make it an affordable reality. That is, Of course, the rise in the number of fully electric vehicles on the road. The motor industry was able to start when scientists first discovered that the burning of fossil fuels could power a standard motor vehicle. Sadly, it has come to the attention of the public that the burning of these fuels has a negative impact on the planet. What’s more, there is only a limited amount of fossil fuels on the planet, so this fuel will one day run out.
As such, vehicle manufacturers and consumers have made the switch to the electric vehicle. Using electricity to power a car is much safer for the environment, and the energy source is completely renewable. Therefore, more people are making the switch to hybrid or fully electric cars.
Unfortunately, you may notice some downsides when driving a fully electric vehicle. The lack of engine noise is quite dangerous for pedestrians, and you can only drive your electric car once you remember to charge it. However, these negatives are negated once you realise you can head to LV ElectriX to work out the rough time to charge an electric car, and that car manufacturers are adding artificial noise to electric cars to make them safer.
Shared Mobility
Reversing the impact that cars have had on the environment also involves reducing the number of cars on the road. A lot of households have made an effort to do this by only having one car on the drive. However, many businesses have also tried to do their bit through shared mobility.
In some fields of work, it is normal for a company to loan their employees a company car. For instance, a gardener needs a van to carry their equipment, and a salesman needs a car to get around to speak with different people. In a shared mobility program, the company will look at who lives near the office and other essential locations so that some employees can share a company vehicle. The result is that there will be fewer cars on the road more frequently.
Artificial Intelligence
It seems that AI now has a role in almost any industry. The motor industry is trying to implement AI in some vehicles to allow drivers to plan safer routes and manage their time better.
This is done in a similar way to how sat navs have entered almost every vehicle. While this satellite system can point a car in the right direction, an AI system will work within this program to analyse data and driving styles to make safety suggestions or pick out quicker routes that drivers take more often. This technology can also be used to remind drivers about their insurance status or book an annual MOT.
Self-Driving Vehicles
The end goal of artificial intelligence in the motor industry is to make it viable for the public to own self-driving vehicles. The self-driving vehicle is a trend that almost every car manufacturer on the planet is striving to hop on board with. Even a company like Google is trying to get in on the ground floor of this next evolution to the motor industry.
The aim of a self-driving vehicle is to get rid of driver fatigue. It is also the hope that businesses will be able to command a fleet of company vehicles from behind a desk using AI. While some self-driving cars have been made in the past, the technology still isn’t there to make it an affordable trend. The closest a car has ever come to achieving this dream was the Tesla Model S in 2023. The car did have an automatic autopilot on the dashboard, but it is estimated that drivers would need to pay upward of $90,000 just for the vehicle to be profitable. Self-driving cars are a great trend in principle, but the motor industry is a long way off from it becoming a reality, though.
3D Printing
Not every technological trend is used to benefit the public. For example, the introduction of 3D printing technology has made it a huge trend in the manufacturing of new cars.
The main benefit of using 3D-printed car parts is that it makes the vehicle much more lightweight. Not only does this mean that drivers have more control over the vehicle, but it means that manufacturers can also customise certain models on the fly. Before, a series of machines on the factory floor would only be able to manufacture the same model of the car over and again. Now, an engineer can simply input new information into the process using a 3D printer. This means they can also test out new manufacturing ideas on the fly. 3D printing is also a much cheaper solution for manufacturers, which makes it more appealing for companies to jump on board with this trend.
Internet Of Things
The introduction of the smartphone allowed us all to connect with each other when on the move. This means that you could order a takeaway on your way home and have it arrive at your door as you arrive. You can also invite some friends over to eat with you at the same time. Sadly, this connectivity was not always available to drivers because it is illegal to use your phone when driving. Fortunately, manufacturers are always thinking about a solution to this issue.
That is why a lot of modern cars come with internet connectivity and a monitor hooked up to the dashboard. This allows you to continue to connect with whoever you want, even when in control of a vehicle. As such, you are still part of many of the modern computing trends that make 21st-century life so simple.
Conclusion
A trend in the motor industry is likely to make waves in the lives of everyone in the country. For example, 3D printing will make cars cheaper for the average citizen, and fewer cars on the road will make the air cleaner. As such, it is important to pay attention to the latest trends in the motor industry as they will affect our everyday lives in some way.
