The Future Is Now: New Car Technology to Watch for in 2021

Curious about what kind of new car technology is out there? We reveal the coolest tech advances in the automotive industry to watch for in 2021 and beyond.

Computer processing technology is expected to double every two years, according to Moore’s Law.

It is no surprise, therefore, that the last decade has seen to cars being developed with capabilities straight out of Sci-fi.

As days go by, and we continue to refine technology, we will soon move from semi-autonomous vehicles to cars that are fully capable of driving themselves.

Nonetheless, before looking that far ahead, it is important to recognize the advancements we have made in vehicle technology so far.

Curious about what kind of new car technology is out there? We reveal the coolest tech advances in the automotive industry to watch out for in 2021 and beyond.

New Car Technology to Look Out For

Cars are no longer simply machines that take you from point A to B. They are now designed to provide an exhilarating experience. The following are some state of the art features you can expect to find in cars in 2019.

1. Connected Mobile Apps

Smartphones have changed the way we live our lives. From online shopping to booking reservations, life has never been easier.

Their convenience has eventually made its way to car technology. Vehicle manufacturers today are designing apps that can sync with their cars.

For example, some apps allow you to start, lock, and unlock your car remotely, check your tire and fuel pressure, among other things.

These capabilities differ among manufacturers, so be sure to inquire from different carmakers as you search for your next car.

2. Stolen Vehicle Tracking Software

It is estimated that over 750,000 cars will be stolen in 2019. Fortunately, however, nearly 46% of those vehicles are going to be recovered. That percentage is only expected to improve.

This feat is made possible through innovative technology that car manufacturers are incorporating into their vehicles. Such as the ability for a stolen vehicle to liaise with law enforcement and tell them where it is being held.

Tracking software is now being incorporated as part of vehicles’ assistance and security systems, such as GM’s Onstar and BMW’s Connected Drive.

These features not only allow law enforcement to pinpoint the car’s exact location, but also allow for effortless diagnostics, concierge, and post-crash notifications that summon rescue services.

3. Teen Driver Technology

Giving junior the keys to a car is not something that most parents are comfortable with. New technology, however, should help ease your mind. Several cars today are coming with some type of built-in teen driver limitations.

These features allow you to know when the car is being driven over certain speeds, disable stereo if seatbelts are not locked-in, or even disable the stereo past 7.

Chevrolet’s Teen Driver feature gives you a report card about the teen’s escapades. For example, it will tell you whether safety features such as forward collision alert or ABS were triggered when they were behind the wheel.

4. Paintless Dent Repair

For a long time, even the most minor of dents on the car took a lot of effort and money to repair. This is no longer the case, thanks to paintless dent removal.

Typically, fixing a dent involves placing a body filler in the dent cavity in an effort to hide the dent.

As such, the mechanic needs to sand, paint match, and do a paint job on the fixed area. All these efforts are what result in the hefty bill that you are slapped with after the operation.

With paintless dent repair, however, the technicians use various techniques and technologies to realign the damaged part without using any fillers. This results in a much faster and less-costlier operation.

5. Adaptive Cruise Control

The daily commute is hardly the most interesting part of anyone’s day. This is why auto manufacturers are creating systems that can ease a lot of that stress.

Adaptive cruise control is a system of built-in sensors that allow your vehicle to automatically match the speed of the car that is in front of you. This means that you do not have to constantly pump the brakes while in highway traffic.

Some of these systems can even bring the car to a complete stop, then automatically resume when the car ahead starts moving. This makes your experience in traffic a lot less frustrating.

6. Lane Departure Warning

We are all guilty of distracted driving at some point in time. Distracted driving could be something as simple as taking your eyes off the road to change the channel, or even looking at a child asking for your attention.

At certain speeds, a few seconds of distracted driving is all it takes to become the victim of an auto accident. Lane departure technology consists of warning systems that utilize cameras to ensure that the car stays within its lane.

If the car drifts across a marked lane, the system sounds off a warning or even vibrates the wheel, to let you know that you are veering off the lane. Advanced lane departure systems are capable of nudging you back into the proper lane.

7. Automatic Emergency Braking

This is a system that also utilizes a variety of sensors to determine whether a forward collision crash is about to happen. If so, it applies the brakes automatically so as to either avoid the crash or to reduce its severity.

Auto emergency braking is expected to be a standard in the auto industry in the near future. Nonetheless, a lot of the cars being produced today are coming with it.

8. 360-Degree Camera

Low-speed crashes are among the most common types of car-crashes. They typically occur when one is parking.

The 360-degree camera system is a technology that can help ensure that such avoidable accidents do not happen. It utilizes an array of cameras positioned all around the car to allow you a virtual top-down view of your surroundings.

This ensures that you do not accidentally hit anything. Moreover, parallel parking becomes a breeze.

Embracing Change

Technology has allowed us a lot of conveniences in our daily lives. This convenience is now trickling into the automotive industry, with car-makers designing vehicles that enhance the driving experience.

What’s more, we have only touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what vehicular technology is truly capable of.

Keep reading our blog to learn about new car technology and everything else about cars.