An estimated 40% of people who were planning on buying their next car brand new are now considering a used model instead. This is great news for anyone thinking about selling their old car and upgrading. The technology present in cars released over the last few years are mind blowing and with so many people looking to buy used, this could be the perfect time to make a change. Read on to find how the coming decade will bring cleaner and safer roads.
Next-generation features for cleaner and safer roads
Thanks to the affordability of computing power and sensors today, modern cars at every price point come equipped with all kinds of features to improve your safety and comfort while driving. Numerous safety technologies have emerged from the research and development into self driving cars done by the world’s leading manufacturers. Some of these technologies have been so effective that governments such as the European Union are beginning to make them mandatory in new cars. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), a technology which predicts potential collisions and automatically stops the car much quicker than a human can react has been shown to reduce front-to-end collisions by up to 56%.
Semi-autonomous driver assistance technologies like AEB, intelligent speed assistance and lane-keeping technology have been proven to prevent a significant number of crashes. For this reason, advocate groups are calling for them to be required by law in new vehicles. While these features are increasingly becoming standard, you may have to shop around to find them. By doing some online research and reading reviews, you will be much better informed as you think about purchasing a high-tech vehicle.
The electric situation
Electric cars have been on our roads for nearly 12 years now and the industry has seen slow but significant progress over that time. With advancements in battery technology, the range of electric cars has increased by around 50%, making them much more efficient than their fuel guzzling counterparts. Government support, typically through tax credits, has also been on the rise with many states offering financial incentives and assistance for those looking to purchase an electric vehicle (EV) or install a charging station at home.
In the earliest days of EV adoption, charging stations were an understandable concern for prospective buyers and critics alike. Since then however, there has and continues to be a concerted effort to improve their availability. It is now possible to drive coast to coast in an EV, as a recent record setting trip in a Tesla Model 3 demonstrated with ease. Drivers in large cities should have no problem keeping their battery topped up and long road trips to anywhere in the country are becoming more and more viable each day.
The next few years look very bright for automotive technology. Autonomous vehicles are inching ever closer to being road-ready. Meanwhile, governments are keen to increase the proportion of EVs on their roads, making them a very attractive option for today’s buyers. While adoption of new technologies is always slow, as safety features like AEB become more common we should hopefully see a drastic reduction in traffic collisions, which coupled with EVs will make our roads safer and cleaner than ever.
