On The Road, On The Screen, Cars Continue To Deliver Driving Development
Cars mean many things to many people. For some, they are nothing but a means of conveniently getting from one place to our destination, a practical necessity, if you will. For others, of course, cars represent so much more than a mere functional form of transport. As the industry has developed over the decades, cars have, as one would expect, changed in all kinds of ways. From things like speed and safety to style and comfort, a once small industry has now become a global giant, one that almost all of us have had a part in progressing.
Such is our global love affair with cars, they have now become both luxury items, collectibles, and also part of the wider entertainment industry. Even inside our cars, the so called infotainment features are now becoming one of the major factors for consumers. Beyond that immediate entertainment element, the game playing industry also reflects our love for, perhaps even obsession with all things automobiles. From setting records in Gran Turismo to the things to do in GTA 5, the games are not just mirroring our affection for cars, they are giving us gadgets and entertainment options that recreate how we drive, style, and revere them.
As my header suggests, whether it is on the road or on the screen, the worldwide car business, and the consumer call for vehicles to deliver more and more in terms of driving and in-car experience, continue to fuel both the car industry and all related sectors, of which entertainment is but one. So, how are cars now both a mode of transport, an entertainment option, and how is all this driving both the development of cars, and the many other ways in which the automobile industry is being harnessed in other sectors? It’s an interesting ride, let’s get into gear.
Changing Gears: Cars Continue To Encourage Technological Innovation
Infotainment is a word that is a pretty recent addition to our common language. From not hearing at all, I hear it all the time now when I discuss buying cars, and what consumers are looking for. So, what is it all about? In a nutshell, infotainment is what we call any in-car system that provides information and entertainment. In most cases, this comes in the form of a screen mounted in your car dashboard. As this innovative and important automotive technology continues to advance, the capabilities and convenience of car infotainment systems also augments. Such is the consumer demand and expectation level these days that infotainment systems are now seen as something of a standard feature in most new cars.
Cars and technology are, of course, not new in terms of collaboration. Even so, the automobile industry is now more technologically driven than it ever has been, and this shows in many elements of both car driving and the overall experience that vehicles now set out to deliver. Take a browse through any trusted car review content and you will frequently see the infotainment systems considered as much as the driving related features and mechanical specifications.
Such is the level of technical innovation in cars that consumers are more expectant, and, in turn, companies are now more aligned with companies such as Harman Kardon, Apple, and other infotainment providers or partners. From high quality audio speakers to smartphone connectivity, app usage across larger in-car screens to the capability to read text messages and more, innovation has created an entirely new in-car landscape and experience, and consumers are, if sales and expectations are anything to go by, clearly lapping it all up.
Car Industry On The Road To Renewable And Rechargeable Energy Revolution
As well as the infotainment and mechanical advancements we have already looked at, there is another major move in the automobile industry. That is, of course, the gradual and, in some cases accelerated shift towards hybrid, and also fully electric vehicles. Though the market still has a massive way to go in terms of getting close to diesel and petrol vehicle sales, car makers are increasingly looking to make more models that are rechargeable. Naturally, one of the main issues is the kilometer ranges those electric cars currently max out at, but even that is getting improved with each new innovation and advance.
With the car industry not just harnessing the power of electric technology but leading the innovation, it is easy to see why governments and corporations are so glad to champion the drive to renewable energy sources for cars and other vehicles. When you consider the electric vehicle global growth projections it is even clearer to understand why the automotive trade is investing so much, for both commercial as well as environmental reasons. All roads, it would seem, lead to a greener future, and that can’t be a bad thing for cars or people.
Whichever way you look at this, on the road, on the screen, on the highway or on the open motorways, cars are as much a part of the digital and technology driven revolution as planes, trains, games and more. We love our cars, we love our tech, and when these two combine, we start to see more from our driving, more from our in-car experience, and more than we could perhaps have envisioned from our cars many years ago.
