automotive

Technology is changing so much in our daily lives, including in how we get around. The electrification of vehicles, autonomous vehicles and connected systems within cities are no longer far off dreams, these technologies and a more connected automotive ecosystem are more of a reality in Australia than ever before. In the early 2000s, electronics accounted for less than 20% of the total cost of a vehicle. In 2020 it was up to 40% and we expect electronics to account for about half of the price of a new car by 2030. We are also expecting to see 300 million electric vehicles (EVs) on global roads by 2030. So, how do we ensure we are ready? How do private companies, cities and the people building the infrastructure to support this transformation come together to make this a reality? This blog will look to answer some of these questions.

Vehicles of the Future

There are many ways technology has improved how we get around, the efficiency in which we do so and the safety of our cars. These are exciting advancements and they are changing and improving transportation globally in the following ways: –

• Eliminating the need for a human driver – To maintain a competitive edge, many companies are looking toward driverless vehicles to cut costs and increase efficiency. With autonomous capabilities, we will see material transport and rideshare services operating with nobody in the driver’s seat.
• Battery Optimization – Similar to how AI learns your phone use, patterns and behaviours and charges your phone accordingly to best utilize your battery and increase its longevity, this is expected to be possible with car batteries in the future. Electric vehicles are creating new opportunities and batteries are expensive, and an important factor that dictates the lifespan of a car, and these advancements will help keep EVs on the road for longer.
• Predictive maintenance – This is the ability to estimate, or predict, when maintenance should be performed on a vehicle. There are already sensors within cars and trucks, and it can be expected to leverage pipe fabrication while monitoring the different parts of a vehicle – like the engine, brakes, and any other moving component. If problems can be detected early and repairs can be made, this avoids costlier, and often time-consuming, catastrophic failures down the line.
• IoT and Cars – With the rise of automation and intelligent integration, IoT is poised to make a significant impact in the automobile industry. When you bring your car to a mechanic, they will be able to connect to it via their phone, getting a full rundown of what is going on before ever opening the hood of the car. They can start diagnosing problems faster and more efficiently.

Fully Connected Automotive Ecosystem

The ability for vehicles to connect not just with each other, but also with mobile devices and smart ecosystems (smart cities, smart infrastructure, etc.) is an exciting prospect. Rather than rely solely on machine vision systems to perceive what is around them, key objects within communication range can provide feedback to reduce computational burden and increase confidence in what the vehicle “sees”. These objects could include smartphones to identify pedestrians, traffic lights to manage traffic flow at intersections, and road signs to enforce traffic laws. Furthermore, smart infrastructure has the potential to streamline how autonomous vehicles navigate from point A to point B. Beacons staggered along roads and streets can broadcast location data for vehicles to utilize when GPS signals are weak or lost entirely (e.g., when driving through tunnels or amongst tall buildings). Smart parking meters can charge vehicle owners directly, based precisely on how long the space was occupied. Streetlights can increase their brightness as vehicles approach them to increase visibility and decrease their brightness the remainder of the time, to conserve energy. The possibilities are truly endless.

Conclusion

It can be observed that there is immense potential for automotive technology to develop going forward. With the rise of EVs and a fast-growing automotive ecosystem as tailwinds, automotive technology led by heavy steel fabrication companies looks poised to take great strides. It is time to embrace this technology globally – especially in countries where battery vehicles are already prevalent in large numbers.