*It’s an exciting time to be a car aficionado. Technology seems to be moving faster than ever in the auto industry and there are many great changes on the horizon.
Electric sports cars, high-tech infotainment centers and driverless cars are going to change they way we get from point A to point B. Here is what you can look for and how to benefit from the ever-changing technology.
Electric Sports Cars
Toyota’s Prius was once the go-to electric car for celebrities and eco-conscious drivers. And then Tesla unleashed the Model S. Now, A-list celebrities like will.i.am, Jay-Z and Morgan Freeman are snapping up this sporty electric car. The features that have celebrities flocking to it: 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds, extremely high safety ratings, the ability to drive up to 270 miles on a single charge, all-wheel drive and zero emissions, an electric sports car that looks as good as it drives.
The Model S’ popularity may be some indication of what we can expect to see once Tesla’s first SUV, the Model X, hits the market later this year. The Model X’s updated features include a medical grade air filter to keep pollen and other contaminates out of the cabin, seating for up to seven people and rear “falcon doors” that are somewhat similar to “suicide doors,” but have hinges on top of the car rather than the side.
The release of the Model X is good news for those of us who can’t, or who are unwilling, to shell out $70K for the Model S. We are sure to see more Model S vehicles hit the used car market once high rollers upgrade to the newer Model X. Keep your eye on used car sites like DriveTime as used Teslas will be swooped up fast.
Infotainment Centers
Infotainment centers are already a strong selling point, and carmakers are attempting to outdo each other to grab bigger market shares. Carmakers have started to incorporate Apple and Android operating systems in their cars in order to make it easier for drivers to integrate smartphones with the infotainment system. Smartphone apps give owners the ability to monitor their car, set the alarm, control certain features and receive important diagnostics.
Volvo’s Sensus Connect and BMW’s iDrive are two of the finest infotainment systems on the market. The former resembles and operates like a built-in tablet, while the latter is considered the most refined and powerful infotainment system currently available.
The Driverless Car
Driverless cars, also known as self-driving cars, have been in development for many years. Google, Apple, Tesla and BMW are pioneering the driverless car movement and are to the point where we will see these cars on the road sooner than later. Many experts believe tens of thousands of driverless cars will be on the road by 2020.
What will they do to the car industry? How will they change how society operates? These are questions with hard answers. The one thing we do know is this: early adopters of the driverless car will be people with large bank accounts. So, for a few years after they are released, the used car market will be flooded with high-end cars as people migrate to the newer technology, giving regular folks an opportunity to upgrade to more luxurious rides.
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