Innovation

Innovation in Automation, will it actually be the death of the car? 

Jeremy Webb looks into the latest innovation within the Automotive industry and asks will this end with the car as we know it dying? 

Innovation: Definition....... The action or process of innovating.

‘innovation is crucial to the continuing success of any organisation’

Oxford English Dictionary. 

When I was asked to look into the latest innovation within the Automotive industry, I had ideas of where the article would focus but this changed as I researched the subject. I started to think are some new ideas through innovation actually going to be the decline of the very product, being improved?  Also to be real innovation the new creation, feature, technology has to be of benefit to the end user, not just a new idea for the sake of it. 

Cars have been around since the 19th Century when inventors started attaching basic combustion engines to horse carriages. Hence the word car. The concept of powered vehicles took off rapidly through the early years of the 20th century with famous companies being founded, Renault and Mercedes to name two. 

After slightly more than one hundred and twenty years we are seeing the decline of the car as we currently know it and the birth of a new movement. The internal combustion engine ICE, is being slowly phased out as manufacturers look towards alternative power for their vehicles.

Electric power is the main source most companies are turning to. This can be fully electric or Hybrid. Hydrogen cells are another form of power and improvement in this area is growing, with more refueling stations being built around this country and others. As I write this I have read about a company in Australia who have developed an easier way of transporting Hydrogen, which means it is safer and less expensive. Two big factors in any movement to introduce new concepts. The company has stored Hydrogen in Ammonia as a gas, which means it can be carried in bulk across any distance. Once the container of Ammonia reaches the storage facility, it is split back into Hydrogen ready for pumping into vehicles. This one innovation could mean car manufacturers forget about developing electric vehicles and concentrate on Hydrogen fueled vehicles.

In the last five years, car companies have made a massive push towards autonomous vehicles. They are reacting towards improving safety and responding to the supposed move away from younger people not wanting to drive. The truth is the current generation learning to drive will be the last to experience true cars.

I am a massive car lover and have been since I was about five, quite a few years ago now. I still love to drive despite our congested road system, but what I mean is I love to be in control of the vehicle I am driving. I still don’t like being a passenger. My passion for cars still makes me feel like a child, I enjoy seeing a classic car, or a beautiful looking sports car. This is why I hate to think of a day when I have no choice but to be a passenger even if I am in the so-called driving seat of an autonomous car. 

Steering-wheels are becoming like the ones in Formula One. More and more buttons and scroll wheels for media control, Sat Nav, phone, drive settings and climate control.  All altered from ergonomically placed buttons, allowing the driver to keep their eyes on the road and not fuss around changing settings elsewhere in the car.  This to me is a great innovation.

(insert Lexus UX steering wheel photo)

Autonomous vehicles are coming, and already here in some forms. I personally would hate to see full autonomy with cars being controlled by computer systems and formed into ranks on smart roads. Even the top designers and inventors like Henry Fisker believe that autonomous vehicles should only be used in controlled environments such as University campuses, sports arenas or airports. Here they will be governed by whole systems not just individually. In the push for autonomy, some good safety technology has been developed.

The list includes lane departure warning, active braking, blind spot warning to name a few. These are fitted to cars to augment the driver's own intuition, awareness, and judgment. They warn the drive first of an impending danger then take over to operate steering correction or brakes. This is if the driver fails to take action following the warning normally both visual and audible. I personally dislike the lane correction but most cars allow you to turn this off. I don't dislike the safety features but they do take away the need for a driver to keep their skills and concentration up at all times.

Artificial Intelligence has to be mentioned when discussing innovation, as more and more manufacturers are adopting this within vehicles. Mercedes already have "ME" system installed in their vehicles and Toyota are hot on their heels. Toyota will use the Alexa system to allow occupants to use voice commands to control aspects of the car. The ME setup in Mercedes is the same just using voice commands asking "ME" to perform tasks.

As well as what you would expect from these AI systems, like playing requested music, checking the weather and your schedule, such systems will also have the capability of controlling frequently used features in the car, like controlling the air-con and windows. We would also expect, like with Alexa, that you’ll be able to control your smart home from your car, so you can ensure your heating and lights are on when you get home, for example.

Is all this really required in a car? Does it enhance the driving experience?,  which is what you ultimately buy a car for.

The hands free capabilities of this AI can be extremely useful. Linked with Sat Nav system, you could state where you want to go, on the move if your plans change. Call up your AI and ask “Mercedes take me to nearest petrol station” The technology will reroute you and give audio and visual directions. 

Another possibility of AI will allow Cars to connect to everything. 

Mercedes are rolling out connected commercial vehicles, which will allow the vehicles to feedback to control hubs information of the whereabouts, road conditions etc etc. An example would be a Mercedes Sprinter enables traction control on a section of road due to the surface being compromised from ice. This is noted and details fedback to Mercedes who then post an alert to all Sprinter or Mercedes users regarding a hazard at that specific spot. Following drivers are warned of the danger in advance.

Ford plans to adopt what the company calls “cellular vehicle-to-everything” technology in the near future, which enables connectivity to smart traffic signals, other vehicles and even petrol pumps to make a payment (similar to how you can pay using your smartphone), for example.

Innovation in a form of autonomy that does get me excited is the movement in self healing vehicles. Bodywork that repairs itself........

Car care has come a long way over the years, but the latest technology is surprising even the specialists working in the area. A self-healing car sounds like the work of science fiction, but chemical companies have evolved car film wraps that can completely heal themselves after damage  Paint Protection film (PPF).  The wrap is like a proactive plaster that instead of stopping damage underneath it, prevents scratches, chips or scrapes. If something cuts into the surface of the vehicle, the PPF seals itself and returns to its original pristine condition. Thus saving heartache and money for the owner.

In this field of innovation, a couple of manufacturers have stated they have produced body panels which if bumped can return to their original shape. Self-healing cars. One company is 

Lamborghini, says it has created the world's first self-healing sports car. The Terzo Millennio, which translates as third millennium in Italian, has the ability to detect and repair cracks in its body work. Using sensors the car can conduct its own health check to detect any damages and self-repair itself by filling the crack with nanotubes to prevent it from spreading. The Italian firm may claim they have made the first self-healing car, but DS Performance part of the French DS Automobiles also claims it has made a car with recoverable bodywork. This is on the one car that has just gone from concept to prototype is the DS Performance collaboration with DS Racing, DS X Etense, a car designed for 2035. 

DS Automobiles is also at the forefront of lighting systems which they are passionate about. The introduction of LEDs has enabled a whole host of new ideas. Adaptive headlight systems, with LEDs that change intensity when detecting oncoming traffic and alter direction to allow for low lighting in the countryside. This is available now on the DS7  Crossback.  The DS X Etense also shows the companies love of light with front and rear lightVeils. The entire front and rear of the car can be lit white and red.

Technology I feel that is a positive impact for any driver is the Heads Up Display (HUD).

First used in military fighter jets, the head-up display (HUD) falls somewhere between a tech feature and a safety feature. The device reduces dangerous distractions by displaying key information, such as a car’s speed and navigation directions, directly in the driver’s line of sight. Some systems project information onto the windshield; others project it on a separate screen.

HUDs are becoming increasingly common in all types of new cars, ranging from the Compact SUVs to Luxury Sports cars, but you don’t have to trade in your older model just to get one. Several aftermarket solutions let you modernise your car. Whether you prefer an affordable device or a high-end product with a price tag to match there is a unit to suit you. Garmin is one of the leading providers in aftermarket HUDs.

Active Window Displays will replace (HUD) technology which has come a long way from the dim, washed out green digits some cars projected on their windshields 20 years ago. But as good as HUD is in 2015, by 2020 we'll see active glass capable of displaying vibrant images. Imagine a navigation system that actually highlights the next turn (as seen from your perspective, through the windshield) as you approach it.   This is also seen within the DS X Etense with the canopy cocooning the pilot/ passenger becoming the display screen. It can show car, status, Navigation or films.

Innovation in displays is also benefiting sight impaired and blind people, with companies pushing the boundaries of physics to bring images to this group. One such project is Feel the view.

The view from the car window turns many a trip into a delightful experience. However, blind and visually impaired people are so far unable to enjoy these impressions. An intelligent car window could now change this.  - It will enable people to feel an image of the passing landscapes by touching them.

All you need to do is press a release button. The intelligent "Feel the View" car window then creates monochrome images using a digital camera placed in the windscreen. Using special LEDs, these images are reproduced on the side window of the vehicle as vibrations of varying intensity - up to 255 gradations are possible. Thanks to this new "blind language", the person concerned can feel and feel an image of the landscape with his hands - in this way a realistic impression of the outside world through which he is being driven is created in his head.

Ford of Italy developed the "Feel the view" technology along with GTB Roma and Aedo. they have a functioning prototype which has been tested successfully.

Another innovation in visual technology is the advent of Night Vision. A few luxury cars are coming equipped with this facility in various forms. The images in front of the car can be seen in the normal driver's display, or some manufacturers have it appear on the infotainment touchscreen, which becomes the Night Vision monitor. I would rather keep my eyes on the road ahead than have to divert them to another screen.

Are manufacturers also killing off the car? Rolls Royce a marque at the very forefront in the origins of the car has recently announced at the Farnborough Airshow a personal aircraft, EVTOL. Electric, Vertical, Take off, and Landing. 

I don’t think we will see a Blade Runner future for many years, but if car companies are turning towards aircraft development and away from traditional car manufacturing. They obviously see this is the way forward, with people piloting their own aircraft that can take off and land anywhere. No roads, congestion

The movement in safety technology and autonomy now begs the question is it the car as we know it, that is dying or the skill of driving?

After researching autonomy, trends in car design and innovation I have questions.

Do people still want to drive?, Do they want to own a car? 

If you are going to be driven by an autonomous vehicle why not just use public transport? You would save money on all the costs involved in owning your own vehicle. The reasons are probably the same as owning a car at present. Freedom of movement, not having to rely on public transport times and routes. Individuality in the choice of model, colour, and specifications which are an expression of your personality. People love to own their own things and a car is a desirable possession or at least it was. The latest generation doesn’t appear to be bothered if they learn to drive or own a car. 

If this is the case it will be mankind that kills off the car, whether it is autonomous, electric, hybrid or any alternative power. Manufacturers will not produce cars if they won’t be sold.