The automobile industry has experienced a significant advancement in the recent past. We have all seen technological innovations such as night vision with pedestrian detection features in cars like Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz. We have also seen the automatic steering in cars such as Acura TLX, and Chrysler 200. But you are yet to hear very impressive technology whose plans are underway. By the year 2020, automobiles that would be in the market will have unfathomable features.

Biometric Vehicle Access – This technology will allow you to unlock and start your car by use of body parts, (fingerprints, or maybe using the eyeball – retina scanners). I know it sounds like a mobile phone security feature, but the same concept is to be implemented in vehicles as well. It will be a shift from key to keyless driving.

Remote Shutdown of Vehicle – The technology is already existent. Stealing of cars has been reduced significantly in recent past. The telematics companies have managed to remotely shut down several stolen cars simplifying the work of police chasing such culprits. This technology has been leveraged by OnStar – an automobile security company. However, we expect greater advancements in this technology by 2020 whereby it will be readily available and stealing of cars will be a thing of the past.

Reconfigurable Body Parts – Imagine having both SUV and truck category in one car? Considering the increased demand for SUV cars lately and the upsurge in truck sales, motor companies are considering the idea of having vehicles that can retract the roof together with the side glass into lower body panels. It sounds like and amazing idea.

Side-Collision Prevention technology – The technology is existent though not well advanced and it is often placed at the head and back of the vehicle. But now, automobile companies have plans to take this a not higher, putting the systems along the sides of the cars. They plan to have radar system integrated into the sides of cars to assist drivers avoid swing sideways or bumping into an object when turning. The systems are said to help in detection of pedestrians, oncoming vehicles, and bicycles as well.

Car to car Communication – It would be nice if cars communicated among themselves, right? We understand the self-driving cars will have to communicate with each other for smooth operation on the roads. But do you have an idea on how far this communication will go? Cars will now be able to alert one another of possible accidents that have happened somewhere, roads with roadblocks or even unfavorable weather conditions. Ford is currently engineering this technology which will be using the Wi-Fi technology. The interesting bit is that the communication will be among cars without involving the human occupants or even without their awareness.