While we’re not all piloting flying vehicles like the inaccurately predicted Spinner from Blade Runner, one thing this film does get right is the effects of climate change and the effect humans have on the environment. One of the main contributors to global warming is our insatiable appetite for transportation such as planes, trains and cars.
Huge strides have been made in low-pollution technologies and the automotive industry is on the verge of changing, not just saying so, but implementing plans that will greatly reduce all harmful emissions from vehicles, largely because of government legislation.
The future for the car is bright and with modern technology rapidly evolving too, with concepts like the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0, you may need to consider what your next vehicle can and cannot do, depending on where you live, it could even become simply out of date. within 10 years.
When choosing your next car, you absolutely need to consider the following:
- Renewable Fuel
- Emission Count
- Technology Integration
Alternative energy and renewable fuels are a big topic today as we are leaning towards a cleaner future which also takes into account the emissions coming from any vehicle and new technologies are being integrated into cars as they become more advanced and open to digital communication protocols.
Renewable Fuel
Biofuels or renewable fuels have been around for some time now but aren’t used as much as they should be. Made from things like vegetable fats, derived oils, and fats, by people like Geoff Hison Renewable Fuels LLC, biofuels such as biodiesel are widely available for use in diesel-engined vehicles.
Biodiesel and standard diesel are basically the same product but are produced from entirely different materials which greatly affect their pollution levels. Standard diesel pollutes about 50% more than biodiesel which will greatly add to your carbon footprint, so when choosing a new car you may want to consider a diesel vehicle over a gasoline engine, particularly as pollution bans come into effect in most countries in 2030.
Emission Count
The driving force behind most of the upcoming changes with regard to transportation will be the amount of carbon emissions emitted by a particular engine or propulsion system. Biodiesel is taken into account a somewhat low-polluting fuel and one that could benefit as all but the most polluting diesel engines are expected to survive the approaching combustion engine ban.
It was recently reported that 28% of the world’s toxic carbon is emitted from vehicles, which is why the government is pushing for engine bans so quickly. Gasoline engines can still be bought but you’ll buy them wasting your money and diesel engine will be a more sensible choice. However, the better option is an electrical vehicle because even the cleaner biodiesel emits 2,500 grams of carbon per gallon whereas an electrical car will emit zero, not counting its production footprint.
Technology Integration
The 21st century has seen major changes in how technology is integrated into vehicles. Not only in the driving systems themselves, which are largely digital now, but also in driver/vehicle interactions and even vehicle-to-vehicle interactions. As manufacturers adopt Industry 4.0 standards and begin developing vehicles for the Internet of Things, assisted by smart devices and data exchange services like 5G, cars are basically getting smarter all the time, even enabling driverless vehicles and prototype flying taxis.
But your own device is also becoming more integrated with the driver experience for optimal results and a few future vehicles will even require connection to a smart device to get started. You would be doing yourself a disservice by buying a low-tech vehicle as many of the best cars now offer customized experiences that make driving interactions more personal with easy-to-use technologies such as user recognition and voice control via systems like Alexa.
Image courtesy Pixabay
