Extra Credit Blog - The Future of Vehicle Technology

I am certain that out of all the classes I have taken at the University of Washington, this is by far the most mentally challenging one in the sense that I am thinking about things in a deeper way I have not before. This is especially true of technology in vehicles. When vehicles were first invented, they consisted of just a motor, wheels, seats and a shell. One can imagine this was probably not a very comfortable ride! However, if you take a look into how vehicles have changed over time it gives you some insight as to where they are going in the future. The vehicle was invented, shortly after, the radio was invented and then, HVAC (this gave vehicles heating and air conditioning). Now, when you walk into a vehicle you can unlock the door with a touch of the finger and your phone connects automatically so you can enjoy music at your convenience. To go further, vehicles have heated and cooled seats that can massage you and warn you if it is safe to cross lanes or not. Keeping all this in mind, I have an idea as to where the future of vehicles will go.

Firstly, vehicles will have a massive amount of healthcare features. As millennials we are very health conscious and as we enter the workforce you can expect to see that being a change we make. There will be heart rate monitoring in vehicles and if the driver begins to suffer a medical emergency the vehicle will know to pull over, turn on hazard lights and notify the necessary authorities of the emergency while continuing to monitor the driver. Secondly, with the advancements of autonomous vehicles, your vehicle will be able to pick you up, drop you off and find parking on its own. This can be made true if the vehicles GPS system is linked to the drivers GPS system on their smartphone. In addition to this, if the driver is intoxicated the vehicle will react accordingly and ensure they do not drive and are comfortable throughout the ride. Lastly, they will become "smart" in the sense that your automobile will be able to alert you when there is an important event, it will let you know where the nearest grocery store is on your way home because according to your smart fridge you are still out of milk, and it will recommend food according to where you normally stop or any dietary restrictions, etc. Cars will become more regulated as they become more electric. This is a very exciting and yet terrifying change.