September 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021 AFTERMARKET 15 vehicles and fleet management processes, personalising the driving experience and turning cars into large smart devices. The UK-wide rollout of 5G will likely provide faster and more reliable connections, acting as a catalyst in these innovations. Vehicles will increasingly be able to provide a personalised driving experience. Increased data flow between cars and the wider infrastrucutre will allow vehicles to become IoT devices, taking voice commands and connecting to smartphones. Predictive vehicle technology will also bring enhanced safety, diagnostic and analytical tools. Sensors will be able to inform drivers when a vehicle needs a service, rendering unscheduled breakdowns a thing of the past. Connectivity will mean vehicles are in constant contact with fleet management companies and servicing to provide early alerts, and vehicles will ultimately book themselves in for a service. Rise of autonomous vehicles Self-driving cars have long been the imaginings of science-fiction, but recent developments have already made semi-autonomous vehicles a tangible reality. Features include automatic-breaking sensors, motorway lane sensors, mapping technology to monitor blind spots, cameras in the back and front of a car, adaptive cruise control and self-parking capabilities. It still remains to be seen how the Coronavirus outbreak might impact upon the industry in the long term, however, the demand for autonomous transport is already seeing a huge boost in demand, which could influence the rate of driverless-technology development. Neolix, a driverless delivery business based in Beijing, has seen a big surge in demand for its self-driving delivery vans. Whilst fully driverless vehicles won’t be ruling the roads by the end of 2021, data shows that they will likely become a reality in the near future. Looking forward These promising developments will result in vehicles which are increasingly more connected and digitised, resulting in the most advanced and safest vehicles we have seen yet. A report by McKinsey estimated that the combination of new services and advanced technologies anticipated in the auto industry will bring a $1.5 trillion boost to automotive market by 2030. At the same time, new vehicle technology poses previously unseen challenges in terms of personal data security, privacy and safety. While it is important the industry strikes the right balance between safety and innovation, the impressive potential of these new technologies could far outweigh any challenges that might arise. www.aftermarketonline.net en driv echnolog T y As a leading OE supplier in Eur ignition solution is built on ov provides access to premium p training , OE-level diagnostic vehicles drive cleaner , better a delphiaftermarket.com DelphiTechnologies isabrandofBorgWarner Inc. ope, our full-service aftermarket er 100 years of OE expertise. It arts , market-leading vehicle cover s and technical support , making nd further right through their lives age , . The automotive industry has faced disruptive change on multiple fronts ”