The automotive industry is a great beneficiary of technological innovations. From the early days of chariots, today, what we have on our roads are simply breathtaking. It is not just about mobility anymore but sophistication. Automakers continue to outdo each other in creating unique masterpieces. Despite the huge development witnessed, there is the prediction that automobile innovations in the next 10 years will supersede what was recorded in the last century. In this light, Naijacarnews takes a look at 10 modern car innovations that were not witnessed in the last decade.

1. Moving drones

Who knew that drones would become car accessories someday? Well, that is the case now. The portable tools are replacing car headlights. They fly ahead of cars, and lighting up the front area. The lights are so bright that you can see the environment clearly.

What is even more interesting is that, they record car movements in real time. This is good for recording driving adventures. We have seen this in Nissan’s X-Trail and Audi’s AI: Trail concept.

The drone clears the road for the car's safety

2. Wireless charging

The days of carrying phone chargers around just to recharge your phone battery are going into extinction. Some automakers now offer wireless charging in their vehicles. You simply connect your phone to recharge by pressing a button. No plugging. You can find this as a basic feature in some cars while others offer it as an additional feature at extra cost.

No more flat phone battery because you forgot your charger somewhere

3. Alexa voice control

Quite frankly, voice control is not a new technology in cars. However, the technology did not meet up to all its promises, before now. Users were stuck with voice control that could hardly do anything. But it is a different story with Amazon’s Alexa. The virtual home assistant does unbelievable things ranging from ensuring that your doors are locked, regulating music, and helping you send messages to people. Due to its efficiency, automakers are adding it to their cars. So far, you can find it in Toyota, Lexus, Ford, Audi and Seat among others.

4. Reaching 300mph

Cars reaching 300mph was a myth 10 year back. The fastest speed recorded at the time was 267.857mph – courtesy of the Bugatti Veyron SuperSport. Today, that record is outdated. In August this year, the world witnesses a Chiron hitting 304.77mph. One can only imagine the speed levels we will see in the coming years.

>>> Check the full list of speed monsters: 10 fastest cars in the world 2019

Driving at 300mph must be on the tracks, not on regular roads!

5. Detect humans and animals

Safety is a top priority to automakers. If people are going to drive cars, they need to know that they are not endangering their lives and the lives of others in the process. 10 years ago, cars like the Lexus LS and Mercedes S-Class offered a camera that had night-vision capacity to detect body heat of humans and animals. But, for this to be effective, drivers had to keep their eyes on the camera to see the signals. This was a distraction that could lead to accidents.

Today, the technology has been greatly improved on. Cars have digital cameras and radars that detect body heat close to them. When the signal is picked, the car automatically brakes to avoid hitting the object detected. With this, pedestrians, cyclists, and animals are safer on the roads.

Automatic braking reduces collisions and saves lives

6. Remote control

Remote control is one of the best modern innovations of cars. Thanks to digital technology, you can control your car without necessarily being in it. This feature can be found in some Smartphones connected to the car. You can pre-heat your car from a distance in preparation for driving. Not sure if you locked your car doors after stepping out? No need to worry; you can do this from anywhere. Most interestingly, you can set navigation signals to your car from wherever you are, ahead of your journey.

As of now, automakers offering this technology include Ford, Audi, BMW, Volvo, Tesla and Land Rover.

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7. Auto Parking

Accurate parking is a problem a lot of drivers struggle with. Thankfully, technology has provided a solution via auto parking. Today’s cars such as luxury saloons and superminis are tailored to control a car’s steering toward parking while the driver simply controls the accelerator and brake.

Cars such as the Nissan Leaf need no human contribution at all. You just fold your arms and watch as your car park itself. BMW and Tesla offer remote parking. You control your car movement from your Smartphone or key fob to your desired parking spot.

Auto parking is a huge relief from parking trouble

8. Digital door mirrors

Digital car doors used to be a myth 10 years ago, but today, some automakers have made it a reality. You can see the outside environment in real time from your car doors. The doors are laced with mirror-like tools that display the surroundings to you before you step out. The Audi E-tron and Lexus ES already offer it.

9. Biometrics

Biometrics have improved several spheres of live. Automakers have adopted the technology in cars for safety and convenience. It is no longer mandatory to start your car with a key. There is a fingerprint scanner that recognizes the fingerprint of car owners before starting the car. You can also control other aspects of your car such as music, display and seat preferences using your fingerprint. This has reduced car theft as thieves are not able to steal cars by simply being in possession of the keys.

Using biometrics in cars will enhance car security 

10. Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an interesting topic in cars. The much-anticipated self-driving ability of cars thrives on this technology. AI algorithms are used to master the driver’s routine over a period. Having observed the driver’s driving patterns, the system uses the data in predicting future driving destinations and behaviors. This can be seen in Land Rover Evoque’s Smart Settings.

>>> It's time AI ruled our automotive world: How smart cars with AI will make driving easier and more fun

10 ingenious car inventions & technologies

The future of cars is bright and exciting. In the coming years, one will marvel at the things cars will be doing on their own. Driving stress will be a thing of the past. Drivers will simply sit in the car, and watch it to do the work.

>>> Check out latest auto news on Naijacarnews.com for updates!