2020 is set to bring a load of new technologies to the auto industry and the vehicles available at a pay here buy here car lot are going to be even more exciting. Some of these technologies are brand-new, while others have been in prototypes of luxury vehicles for a few years and are just now reaching the mainstream market on mid-range vehicles at your local dealership.
Self-Driving Vehicles
Self-driving isn’t necessarily new for 2020, but the technology itself is becoming more commonplace and affordable and will make its debut on many more popular models in 2020. The self-driving craze should make driving much safer and convenient as it has been shown self-driving vehicles get in accidents at a much lower rate than those driven by people. Fully automated driving has just recently been tested by truck fleets in Texas over long stretches of relatively straight road. A human is still present in the vehicle to recognize and correct any potential mistakes, but it is in 2020 that these autonomous vehicles will finally become a reality.
360-Degree Vision
As technology becomes more affordable, more features are making their way into new cars. While cars have had backup cameras for years, the increased number of cameras and processing power now allows for a 360-degree field-of-view for drivers. The 360-degree vision that multiple cameras offer is a welcome addition to any vehicle and affords the driver a way to see areas they otherwise would not be able to see without getting out of the car. This is particularly useful for larger vehicles.
Pedestrian Detection
Another great feature that is based on the camera systems that are becoming ubiquitous is pedestrian detection. Pedestrian detection is when the computer’s algorithms are able to identify accurately when a person is in front of or around the vehicle in a dangerous location. These systems can even be set to intervene in the case of an imminent collision, applying the brakes to reduce the chance of injury or death.
Night Vision
Night vision also utilizes the camera systems aboard the vehicle, but instead of seeing a dimly lit image of the surroundings at night, night vision allows drivers to see potential obstacles or dangers that otherwise would not have been lit enough to see. Night vision has been introduced and removed from the lineups of BMW and Mercedes over the course of the last few decades as the manufacturers struggled to understand the best way to implement it. Now, in conjunction with autonomous vehicle technology, night vision is making a comeback as a way to improve the intelligence of self-driving cars at night.
Smart Adaptive Cruise Control
While cruise control isn’t a new feature, it is a feature that has been vastly improved upon for 2020. Smart adaptive cruise control not only maintains the vehicle speed, but it will automatically adjust the throttle and brakes in order to remain a safe distance behind the vehicle ahead. This feature was introduced to luxury vehicles a few years back, and for 2020 we’ll see it being deployed in mid-range vehicles.
Regenerative Brakes
A powerful new feature to be found on new vehicles in 2020 that have electric or hybrid engines is regenerative brakes. Regenerative brakes use friction created when stopping and applying pressure with the brake pads to recharge the vehicle’s batteries. This is a great improvement for environmentally conscious drivers who want to reduce their energy consumption as much as they can and leave the smallest energy footprint possible.
Biometric Locks
Biometric locks have been seen in sci-fi movies for decades but they are finally becoming a reality. Thanks to advancements and improved technologies, using one’s fingerprint to lock or access one’s vehicle is now a reality. What once used to only exist on smartphones is now a technology that is commercially viable enough to fit on a vehicle door as a standalone system.
HUD Display
A Heads Up Display (HUD) has been a dream of many car owners for decades. This cool new technology has finally made its way into automobiles with important info such as speed and proximity warnings projected onto the windshield glass so the driver does not have to look away from the road. Most manufacturers have been working on their own version of the HUD and testing out which information should be projected onto the windshield for the best user experience.
Vehicle Tracking
Auto manufacturers and authorities have been able to track vehicles equipped with GPS locators for some time. Now, vehicle tracking is being built into new models, giving vehicle owners the ability to track their automobile much as they would track their cellphone using a “find my phone” feature. More advanced systems allow you to start the vehicle or lock/unlock it remotely, or even check information like the current gas level.
Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications
Now that new vehicles come equipped with their own Wi-Fi hotspots and advanced computer systems, the ability for vehicles to communicate with one another is now possible. This means that even if the vehicle does not visually recognize a potential collision, an oncoming vehicle may communicate with another vehicle if it believes they may collide, providing an additional safety layer.
As more vehicles become autonomous, cars will communicate with each other more often, allowing for less traffic, faster speeds, and safer drives.
