FUTURE CARS

Abstract

                       

                        We all have always wondered how the vehicles of future generation will look like. How will new developing technologies make their impact on the design & Development, operation, handling and aesthetics of our future cars. New technologies are being introduced day by day. We have tried to explain some of the technologies will be implemented in coming years in the car. This would change complete attitude of the drivers towards car. The digital age will not only make the cars more affordable & fuel efficient but will also redefine the concept of fuel used in cars. Some of the technologies that will be implemented in future cars are  G.P.S , I.T.G.S, Active suspension systems, & many electronic devices boosted by information technology. 

Introduction :

                    Future cars will include many technologies beyond our imaginations. Some  of the technologies  or we may say concepts that may be included in the future car may be as follows :

                      Ø  Manufacturing of cars using Platform technologies.

Ø  Using new trends     

Ø  G.P.S. ( Global positioning system )

Ø  I.T.G.S (  Intelligent traffic guidance system )

Ø  Active suspension systems

Ø  I.P.B (  Intelligent parking break )

Ø  L.K.A.S ( Lane keep assist system)

Ø  CMS ( Collision Mitigation Brake System )

Ø  Material used in future cars.

Ø  Future fuels for future cars.

Platform technology

 Future cars will also have its own manufacturing technologies. One of the technologies coming up & that will be extensively used in the future, will be Platform technology. Now platform technology does not mean that assembling the car on a platform. Platform is wider concept in itself. It is explained such that “keeping the body same but changing the clothes “. In platform technology, what you don’t see will be shared by dozens of cars & what you see will be very distinct. This can cut down cost of manufacturing drastically. Individual platform for individual model will become absolute. 

New trends :

 Now new trends, new concepts are immerging in fashion industry, architecture & interior designing. People will expect these new trends to be incorporated in the cars. People will also expect the car to represent the national identity and the culture of country. Shape, design, Colors and the material of the cars will also very different in future according to public demand & their life styles. Every city car may become a luxury car having 1^st class aircraft seat recliner, dressing table, communication system, humidor and refrigerator also. Vehicle that can spot obstacles ahead, read road signs, follow a  path along a twisty road are key to our ultimate dream ”cars that drive themselves” .  The technology already exist that can help us to drive

G.P.S. :

 1^st step towards the intelligent future cars is to know where you are.

The Global positioning system (G.P.S) uses satellites for precise location of the  objects on the earth. These systems will be installed in every future vehicle. This process has already been started. Now GPS are installed in cars, buses, trucks etc. This can help the driver in many ways. The most important benefit is we can have a map of city and our location in that. There no chance of losing the track or misguidance.

           

In future cars will have more Information Technology then at our homes or offices. Cars Data processing power will become more important than its horse power. Onboard system in the cars will change the way we use our car. Planning trips, guiding through heavy traffic, using GPS & Digital maps to manage the range of batteries , fuel cells. Future car will have better communication system, higher security, advanced entertainment systems & unimagined safety.

            In Japan this digital revolution has already begun. A navigation system called as MONET is commonly installed in the Japanese cars. Using the cars cellular phone it contacts the server that provides huge amount of information relevant to drivers. The information includes videos of the and condition of road ahead at strategic pointes. Monet is 1^st step towards on board PC.

            Microsoft has developed an auto PC. We can say it a 1^st breed of general purpose computing platform for cars. It offers us Radio, CD player, tape, email, paging & News services. It is also connected to main server through the satellite. Now once cars can talk to each other & central computing system, so cars will get ability to manage themselves in traffic. They will know where accidents are, where traffic is. So this ability becomes priceless in overcrowded environment.

                  In Tokyo to keep traffic in control, the traffic police has installed 263 cameras & 15000 speed sensors which has costed around 9 million dollars. This information is also conveyed to onboard PCs of cars. For test  a Mercedes Benz  Tokyo is equipped  with I.T.G.S. ( Intelligent Traffic Guidance System). It collects the data form the central processor. The driver has a large screen of GPS space navigation in front of him. When driver ask a route from A to B the GPS gives the shortest route form A to B assuming the traffic is moving freely. But using I.T.G.S., car will download traffic information from the control center. Now computer will calculate alternative route not shortest but quickest.

  Advance frontlighting system (AFS)

            The technology allows light to turn into corner along with the vehicle. The benefits are to reduce the driver stress & fatigue. This system is developed by part supplier Visteyan. It has five different lenses in each head lamp creating a beam that can change its shape illuminating the different areas of the road ahead. The shape of beam is controlled by speed and the steering of car. When the car accelerates the certain lamps are turn on to get the view as far as possible, as car slows down the system will adjust it to give broader view. This technology could soon become mandatory equipment on all cars with a number of manufactures like Audi, Mercedes & Volkswagen .

Ferrari and Porsche already opting to employ them on their latest cars. 

            Most of the accidents occur at night. The system under development at Jaguar can make things more easy. This technology allows the main beam visibility with out causing glare to other drivers. This system works by using the light nearer to infrared end of spectrum. This light is invisible to human eye but not to system nearer to infrared camera. The images are projected on the screen in front of driver. So the driver can see the objects which would otherwise be hidden.

Active suspension systems  

Suspensions play a major role in a automobile.  It supports the     vehicle, provides directional control & isolates the passengers/goods from the road disturbances.   the automobile industry is coming with new technology in the vehicles which will make your ride more comfortable, more safe and will bring you pleasure. This new technology is called as active suspensions.

    An active suspension system has the capability to adjust itself continuously to changing road conditions. It "artificially" extends the design parameters of the system by constantly monitoring and adjusting itself, thereby changing its character on an ongoing basis. Active systems offer continuously variable springing and damping forces using high power actuators responding to road and diver inputs to enhance and handling.

The advantages provided by active suspension system are

           

1. Unequal weight distribution leveling control
2. Body roll control
3. Anti-dive control
4. Anti-squat control
5. Comfort ( soft ) ride mode
6. Sports (firm) ride mode

The active suspensions systems are certainly advantageous to the normally used passive suspension systems though they are costly. It increases the stability of vehicle ,it gives superior handling, road feel with responsiveness and safety.

 Intelligent Parking Brake (IPB)

When traffic hits, we cannot freely drive, with our foot more often on the brake than on the accelerator. It's in these situations that the beauty of the Intelligent Parking Brake (IPB) shines through. With the push of a button, the IPB overrides the brake pedal, and connects to the vehicle's anti-lock brake system. This means that in traffic, on a hill, or even at a stop sign, you can take your foot off the pedal and activate the IPB.

Of course, the IPB does not take the place of a brake pedal. It works best in traffic and in emergency situations, when you need to stop on a dime. Using electronics and not mechanics to brake, the IPB has proven to stop the vehicle more quickly than most other systems in place.

Currently only found in luxury cars like the 7-series BMWs, it is estimated that the IPB will become mainstream in 2005, when four million cars will make the change from handbrake to button.

Lane-Keeping Assist System (LKAS)

The LKAS, a safety measure that avoids swerving. A camera positioned inside the front window takes images of the given lane a driver is in. Then, using this information, the system adjusts the Inspires power steering wheel accordingly, giving it just enough torque to stay in the lane.

Thus, the LKAS eases the stress of highway driving; allowing the driver to travel in comfort while it makes minute adjustments to the vehicle's direction.

Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMS)

Using the same radar as Intelligent Highway Cruise Control (IHCC), CMS is the world's first collision-avoidance system. With a range of 100 meters, the radar checks out surrounding vehicles and the risk of collision. As the risk rises, the system alerts the driver of oncoming danger and can even assist in braking.                                                                                                      6

When an accident in unavoidable, the CMS will increase passenger safety by tightening seatbelts and implement a pre-contact braking system that reduces speed before impact. It is this type of safety feature that may make families turn to the Honda Inspire in the coming years.

Material used in future cars

            The fuel efficiency greatly depend on the weight of car. Future cars will made of very light materials to improve the mileage. Research have shown that For every 100 pounds reduction in wt. mileage improves by 1mile per gallon. Body and chassis are now will be made by aluminum, that will reduce the wt. of vehicle by 65%. But the problem with the aluminum is it is very costly and difficult to work with. But new solutions have also come up. Now the new cars will be built with thermo plastics. The body is made by injection moulding. Different parts of  body are glued by super strong adhesive. Then whole body is dropped over chassis. The paint shop can also eliminated by using colored plastics. This will also bring the new concept of recycling of cars. The weight and cost of the vehicle gets drastically reduced. These cars are best suited for Indian and Chinese markets.

 Futures Fuels for future cars :

                        Pollution is a measure concern in today’s world. As long as there are gasoline engines there will be pollution. The dream world with no pollutions will be using only electric cars.. G. M ‘s  EV1 is the 1^st electric car made. It  uses a motor to drive, powered by a set 26 rechargeable batteries.  A black box which control the motor . The batteries situated under the hood of car required 4 hrs. for charging and give a range of just 70 miles. It accounted for 2/3 of the total weight of car. Though the cars were smooth and silent  idea of total electric car did not become popular.

                        The solution came up with hybrid cars. Hybrid electric cars had plus points of both electric and gasoline cars. These car have a motor and any internal combustion engine.  At low speed motor drives the car and at high speed, internal combustion engines will not only drive the car but also recharge the batteries. It requires a smaller battery pack. These cars are less green but they are more practical. The Toyota Priyus is the 1^st production hybrid in the world.

                        The new breed of cars is also developing, running on hydrogen cells. The car developed by Toyota runs on electric motor, not powered by batteries but by  fuel cell. In fuel cell 2 hydrogen atom combine with an Oxygen atom to produce electricity. The by product is only pure water.

The source of hydrogen may be from methanol reformer.

 Conclusion  :

                   From the boundless dreams of 1950s to the dawn of digital  technology and beyond The fate of future car is only in our hands. The  future is up to us. If the technical progress continues at this rate, there is no doubt our future is very bright. And the future cars  will be only limited by our imaginations.

 References :

           

1. “Overdrive” magazine April 2003.
2.  “Overdrive” magazine December 2000
3. CD  on “Future cars “ by Discovery channel.
4. Askmen.com  
5. Delphi. Com