Smart cars are all the rage these days
Cars that drive themselves are not the only tech advancement on the road
The Canadian International Auto Show plays host to one of Canada’s largest technology expositions. If it is available in any car, it is on display at the show. The list runs the gamut from the latest safety technologies through to connectivity.
Not long ago there was t he automobile and t he smartphone. The two could be connected, but not in the most efficient or user-friendly manner. Now comes the “smartcar.” The introduction of apps such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integrate the smartphone into the car in such a seamless manner that even a tech neophyte can use the systems like a pro.
Many of the cars on display have the ability to use one or both of these systems. In both cases, anything that can be done on a smartphone can be accomplished on the car’s head unit when the two are paired — the in- car touch- screen displays a mirror image of the phone’s screen. This makes things very easy to use. Placing calls, getting directions, receiving and sending texts or emails and accessing music stored on the phone is now just a touch of an icon or a voice command away.
The third alternative is an application being developed as a rival to the Apple and Google systems. SmartDeviceLink ( SDL) is behind Ford’s Sync 3 in-car infotainment system. So far, Toyota has signed on to use it, while Honda, Mazda and Subaru are considering the system.
What you have here is the genesis of the battle to control the car’s dashboard and how the driver and/or riders interact with the car and the outside world. It promises to be an interesting struggle that will, with any luck, see a uniform platform adopted across the entire automotive spectrum — from an Aston Martin to a custombuilt Zagato, all vehicles will have commonality.
Many manufacturers have already developed specialty apps. These do everything from allowing the car to be remotely started, located in a parking lot, or delivering Internet connectivity. For the electric- vehicle owner, they also allow the driver to initiate vehicle charging and precondition the cabin using grid electricity. This is a side of the app business Apple and Google do not yet offer.
General Motors has taken a slightly different approach by adding 4G LTE connectivity to OnStar in a growing number of its cars, trucks and SUVs. The RemoteLink app not only controls connectivity, it looks after everything from navigation services to displaying the tire pressures or fuel level. There is a cost associated with most of these apps, but generally the fees are competitive.
An emerging technology that will soon be available at a dealer near you ( the date varies by manufacturer) is the autonomous car.
All of t he t echnology needed to allow the car to drive without driver intervention is already available and the technology at play is finally starting to trickle down to everyday rides.
To be a self- driving car, all a vehicle needs is control over three basic functions: acceleration, braking and steering. The acceleration and braking aspects are taken care of by the smart cruise- control system that is making major inroads. Using radar technology, the cruise control not only maintains the desired speed, it keeps a driver- adjustable distance between the smart car and the vehicle ahead. Whatever happens in front, the smart car mirrors. If the vehicle ahead slows or comes to a stop the smart car does the same. When the vehicle ahead moves off so does the smart car, and on it goes. At first, it takes a giant leap of faith to trust the car — will it actually stop when needed? It is something that is quickly being taken for granted.
Add the latest forwardcollision avoidance systems to the smart car and it does everything except steer. For- ward collision has the ability to recognize not only other vehicles, but also cyclists and pedestrians. Should the system detect a potential crash, it warns the driver. If the driver does not initiate evasive action to avoid an impact the car will come to a stop before the crunch occurs.
The final part of the selfdriving equation is the steering function, and with more cars using electric assist, the car can now spin the wheel at will. This ability is found in technologies that include lane- keep assist, where the vehicle actively steers itself to keep it within a defined lane. It uses a camera to “look” for the markings. At the affordable end is Acura’s ILX. Others, such as the Mercedes- Benz S- Class, can follow the road even as it twists and turns, and it can do so for several seconds. For now, however, the system does require the driver’s hands to be on the steering wheel. If the driver is taking five, the sys- tem gets annoyed and tells him or her to get a grip!
The use of self- steering is also found in the car’s ability to parallel or perpendicular park without driver assistance. Going one step further is the BMW 7 Series. In Europe it has the ability to drive into a garage or parking spot. Yes, the driver is overseeing things, but from outside the vehicle, using the key fob.
The c o mbinati o n of sensors, cameras and radars gives the modern car the ability to read and react to a changing environment, avoid an impact and keep the car pointed in the right direction. Throw in the ability to have vehicles communicate with each other and the infrastructure (both systems are being developed and tested in parts of the world today) and the morning commute is destined to become an extension of the work day. Now, I am not sure if I am ready for that one!