Car in 2050

Cars of the future will run on electricity or environmentally-friendly fuels, have fingerprint identification for security, automatic breath sensors to prevent drunk driving and use satellite and map discs for navigation.

But will cars in 2050 be able to fly, park themselves, be immune to breakdown or drive under water? Not likely, says the Royal Automobile Club’s somewhat whimsical recent report titled “Motoring towards 2050”.

This is the vision of the way ahead for motoring according to over 500 drivers surveyed by the RAC for their recent report. The survey shows that the majority of drivers thought that cars would be more technologically advanced and run on environmentally friendly fuels but retain their individuality and look much the same as today’s vehicles.

The sci-fi style fantasy of the future was firmly discarded with only five per cent of drivers thinking that cars will be beamed from place to place in 50 years time. Only three per cent, obviously fans of the film “The Matrix”, thought that motorists might have a chip containing the Rules of the Road embedded in their brains.

Almost half of those interviewed thought “crash-proof” cars were a probable feature of the future as well as electronically-controlled cars travelling on motorways.

Fifty-eight per cent of those surveyed reckon that those caught speeding in the future will be penalised with automatic deductions made from their credit cards.

The report suggests that despite improvements to public transport, cars will remain the predominant mode of transport for the next fifty years, although the way in which we use them might be radically different.

                        THE FUTURE CAR TECHNOLOGY

Compared with the electronic wizardry found in our homes and offices, even the most advanced cars built today seem stuck in the Stone Age. Like a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, spending time in the car means abandoning modern advances like Wi-Fi and iTunes for comparatively ancient technologies like satellite radio, in-dash CD players, and tiny nav screens suction-cupped to the windshield.

It won’t stay that way. In the very near future, your dashboard may soon become as versatile as your laptop.

FORD"S sycn, an option starting at $395, is an already available, multifaceted platform made by Ford and Microsoft. And Kia is currently rolling out a similar, Microsoft-developed system in the 2011 Sorento and Sportage called uvo. The next iteration of Sync grows into an integrated media hub called myford touch while in-car Wi-Fi (WiFi adapter via USB shown below, left) lets drivers take the Internet along with them. In the future, cars may not only entertain us but could improve driver awareness and reduce distractions, and the advent of electric vehicles will forever change how automobiles connect with infrastructure.

Versions 2.0

Currently, in-car technology is hardware-based, with upgrades requiring new physical installation. It’s pretty simple: To play satellite radio or use navigation, you buy an aftermarket unit or purchase the option from the automaker. In the near future, however, upgrades will merely require new software.

The near future has already arrived at Ford, where the aforementioned MyFord Touch platform is making its debut on the 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX (where it’s called MyLincoln Touch) and on the 2012 ford focus. Just as different apps change an iPhone from a music player to a phone to a restaurant guide, MyFord Touch alters the entertainment system, instrument cluster, voice commands, and steering-wheel switches depending on which software application a driver chooses to run.

That means adding navigation to a MyFord Touch–equipped vehicle doesn’t mean buying a whole new device but only requires a visit to the automaker’s upcoming app store. “With MyFord Touch, you’ve already got an eight-inch touch screen (shown below). All you need is the navigation application,” says Jim Buczkowski, director of global electrical and electronics systems engineering at Ford.

Aside from the estimated $1500 cost (according to an industry analyst) of the MyFord Touch hardware—USB port, touch screen, and memory storage—the system won’t break the bank for automakers because it relies on technology that’s already standard in the computer industry. Even in the absence of in-car Internet, some software apps could be manually installed using MyFord Touch’s USB port.

Hello Pandora, Goodbye CD Changer

Most applications are only as good as the data they can access, and when platforms such as MyFord Touch aren’t connected to the Internet, their usefulness is severely limited. Internet in cars is currently in its infancy, with a few manufacturers such asaudi, BMW, and Ford experimenting with it in their latest models. But in the future, most new cars will become rolling Wi-Fi hot spots, either sharing an Internet connection with a “smartphone” (called “tethering”) or with a separate, dedicated data plan.

In five years, nearly 25 percent of cars will be connected to the Internet, according to iSuppli telematics analyst Richard Robinson. That means big changes for in-car entertainment. Just how big? “What you need to be thinking of is your computer pre- and post-dialup,” Robinson says. “How useful would your laptop be without being hooked up to the Internet?”

Since a mouse and a keyboard would be difficult to use at highway speeds, the most advanced setups will tailor the Web for an in-car experience. When connected to the Internet, MyFord Touch takes advantage of its voice-recognition software to use specially designed applications that allow drivers and passengers to listen to Internet music via Pandora and keep in touch with social networks like twitter while on the road. Pandora (shown below), which is free and allows users to configure their own music “stations,” will likely make a serious dent in satellite-radio subscriptions.

Wi-Fi’s potential, says Ford’s Buczkowski, will be limited only to the imaginations of software developers. If kids want to watch videos streamed from the Internet in the back seat (the only place it’s currently legal in all 50 states in a moving car) or a passenger wants to search for the best lunch nearby, it’s possible. “It’s not that we can find the one thing that fits everybody, but that it can be adjusted to whoever is in the vehicle,” he says. Mercedes now offers an optional SplitView screen ($700, shown below) in its S-class and CL-class vehicles. Using the same dashboard-mounted screen employed by the navigation and stereo, the display can project two separate images—one to the driver and a different one to the passenger. The passenger can watch a movie while the driver sees only the regular display, but the system is still prohibited in 14 states. Despite this, other carmakers will likely introduce similar systems in the future.

                                      HOW A CAR ENGINE WORKS

Did you know that your car will take in 20,000 cubic feet of air to burn 20 gallons of fuel? That’s the equivalent of a 2,500 sq. ft. house! If your only experience with a car engine’s inner workings is “How much is that going to cost to fix?” this graphic is for you. Car engines are astoundingly awesome mechanical wonders. It’s time you learned more about the magic under the hood!

                                                             CAR BASICS

1. 1. Your average car engine will have 4,6 or 8 pistons. You can think of piston as similar to “plungers” moving up and down within their cylinders. On the top side of the piston is the combustion chamber, where fuel and air are mixed together before being ignited.On the other side of the piston is the crankcase, which is full of oil. Your air and fuel are kept separate from the oil by “O-Ring” style rubber seals
2. 2. 2. Crankshaft The crankshaft is connected to piston by a rod. As the piston moves up and down, the crankshaft rotates and converts the up and the down motion into rotatory motion. In other words, it helps turn the wheels.3. Valvetrain The valvetrain is made up of valves, rocker arms, pushrods, lifters and the cam shaft. The job of the valvetrain is to let the air and fuel in and out of the engine at the appropriate time. This is accomplished by synchronizing the cam shaft to the crankshaft with a belt or a chain
3. 3. The average car today uses what is known as a “4-stroke” or “4 cycle” engine. What this means is that there are four separate events that happen in your engine as it runs:
4. 4. 1. Intake strokeAn intake valve is opened by the camshaft, and the piston moves down inside the cylinder creating a vacuum which sucks air and fuel into the combustion chamber.
5. 5. 2. Compression stroke The intake valve closes as the piston moves up the cylinder. This creates a seal that allows the air and fuel to be compressed.
6. 6. 3. Power stroke As the piston nears the top of the cylinder, the spark plug fires and ignites the compressed air and fuel. The force of ignition drives the piston back down into the cylinder again, turning the crankshaft..
7. 7. 4. Exhaust strokeOnce the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder again, the exhaust valves opens. Leftover air and gas are sent out to the exhaust system
8. 8. If any part of your fuel system breaks down, your engine will not. Therefore it is very important to keep your fuel system well-maintained and address any problem that come up soon as possible.
9. 9. 1. Fuel Tank Pretty self-explanatory! The fuel tank is where your car’s fuel is stored. Inside the tank is a sending unit which tells your gas gauge how much fuel is left in the tank.2. Fuel Pump On newer model cars, the fuel pump is usually installed inside the fuel tank. On older model cars, the fuel pump may be attached to the engine or on the frame rail between the tank and engine.3. Fuel Filter Fuel filters may be located before or after the fuel pump (and in some cars, there are two fuel filters – one before the pump, and one after). Intake valves tend to get clogged and fuel filters serve to clean this build up out of the gasoline.
10. 10. 4. Fuel Injectors Fuel injection is used in the majority foreign and domestic cars produced after 1986. The fuel injector is a small, electric valve. The opening and closing of this valve is controlled by a computer.5. Carburetor On older model cars, a carburetor is used to help mix air and fuel. It’s a very inefficient process , and carburetors are notorious for breaking down. This is why most manufactures switched to fuel injection.
11. 11. Your exhaust system carries away the gasses created by engine combustion. The whole system consist of five components:
12. 12. 1. Exhaust Manifold The exhaust manifold attaches to the cylinder head, taking the exhaust from each piston, and routing it through one pipe.2. Oxygen Sensor A component of fuel-injection system, the oxygen sensor monitors the level of oxygen present in the exhaust and makes adjustment to fuel input in order to maximize fuel economy. An oxygen sensor is usually mounted near the exhaust manifold.
13. 13. 3.Catalytic Converter The catalytic converter acts somewhat like a filter in that it’s job is to convert harmful byproducts of the process into less harmful ones. Namely, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are converted to water vapor and carbon dioxide. Your catalytic converter should be located between your exhaust manifold and muffler.4.Muffler The muffler “muffles” the sound of your engine’s combustion and exhaust process. Sound is reduced by “bouncing” the exhaust against internal baffles to reduce its energy.5.Exhaust Pipe Once your gas has turned to vapor within the exhaust system, it is carried out of your car through the exhaust pipe.
14. 14. As you can imagine, your car’s engine gets super hot while running. Normal operating temperature for the average fuel burning engine is around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, but temperatures may go up as high as 4,000 degrees F. during the combustion process.cooling system is necessary for a couple of reason:To prevent temperature high enough to melt engine parts.To stabilize engine temperature at the most efficient level regardless of environmental conditions.While some heat is carried away by the exhaust system. It’s not enough to protect the pistons and cylinders.Your Car’s Engine-Cooling System.
15. 15. Most automobiles use what is known as a “liquid-cooling” system. In other words, a liquid ‘coolant’ is circulated to absorb and carry away heat from the engine.This liquid is then sent o the radiator, where it is “re-cooled” again and sent back out for another pass through the engine.Let’s look at the parts involved in the cooling system:1. Hoses2. Fan Belt3. Radiator4. Water Pump
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17. 16. 1. HosesHoses are used to carry the liquid coolant.2. Fan Belt A Fan belt is used to drive the water pump, which circulates the coolant through the system.3. Radiator The radiator cools your coolant.4. Water Pump The water pump, which is driven by your engine via fan belt, is responsible for pushing the coolant to circulate.
18. 17. The drive train (also sometimes referred to as the ‘power point’) serves two functions.Drive power from the engine to the drive wheel.Vary the amount of torque.We use the expression “drive wheel” to refer to the actual “driven wheels” of a vehicle. For instance, an automobile with 2-wheel drive is designed to power 2 drive wheels (either the two front wheels or the back wheels), while the remaining wheels on the vehicle roll out but do not actually power the car forward.There are two sets of gears in the drive train:TransmissionDifferentialYour car’s Drive Train
19. 18. TransmissionThe transmission is used to adjust gear ratio. This is similar to (but more complex than) the gear-switching of a bicycle. Automotive transmission require multiple ratio gearboxes to maintain the same engine RPM’s at different speeds.Differential The differential is used to help the wheels turn at different speeds.Now , we can break the transmission down even further because there are 2 types of transmission you are probably familiar with:1.. Manual 2. Automatic.
20. 19. Manual Transmission Manual transmission usually have 4 or 5 speeds. Most use manual clutches, but there are a few models out there that actually use an electric clutch with a manual stick shift. Manual transmissions require the driver to shift the gears.Automatic Transmissions Automatic transmissions typically use 3 “forward” gears. Each gear is intended to balance speed and torque for the current driving conditions (starting, acceleration, driving up hill, etc). In automatic transmissions, though, is that the gear-shifting process is controlled by oil pressure. A “shift valve”, controlled by oil pressure, is employed to shift the gears to meet the immediate driving conditions. Your AXLE may be located at the either the front or the rear depending on whether you have front or rear wheel drive. Power from the engine is delivered to the axle by DRIVESHAFT.<br />
21. 20. Suspension in this case refers to the front and rear springs that suspend your car’s weight. Today’s suspension system may be constructed from a variety of spring types, shapes and sizes, such as:Leaf springs
22. 21. Coil springs
23. 22. Air springs
24. 23. Torsion springs Also include in the suspension system: shocks, struts and sway bars.Your Car’s Suspension SysteM.
25. 24. The electrical system in today’s cars are complex, and there are dozens of things that can go wrong at any times with the major devices as well as auxiliary devices such as radios, chargers, defrosters, power windows and so on.The Big Three things that you need to pay attention to areThe BatteryThe Starter MotorThe AlternatorYour Car’s Electrical System.
26. 25. The Battery Your battery stores power to start your car, as well as run all the secondary devices like radios and clocks.The starter Motor The starter motor is a DC solenoid used to start the car’s engine.The Alternator The alternator manages current to keep your car charged while running (it is powered by the engine), and to restore charge to the battery.
27. 26. In old days, car body’s were almost entirely metal. These days, however, most car bodies are composite of fiberglass and plastic around a metal frameCommon body problem may include.Rust – In this case, we’re talking about rust from the inside out. This is a bigger problem with older model cars.Accidents – Repairs can get pricey on newer model cars due to their construction. A metal bumper, for example, can be ‘banged’ back into some cases. Plastic bumpers, however, usually have to be replaced in full.Paint – UV rays from the sun can damage paint over time. Scratches and dings from rocks, hail or other debris can create chips in the paint leading to further deterioration.Your Car’s Body
28. 27. If you have a newer model car or truck, it is likely that you have disc brakes on all braking wheels, rather than drums. Older models braking system typically employ disc brakes on the front wheels and drum brakes on the back wheels.Why disk brakes Disc brakes are lighter and perform better than drums in terms of wear and tear. This is because the disc brakes are gripped on either side by the brake pads, similar to the brakes on a cycle. The wear form the heat and friction is distributed evenly.Your Car’s Brakes System
29. 28. A standard brake system consist of 4 main components:1.. Disc and or drums and rotors2. Friction pads3. Master cylinder and brake cylinders4. Brake Fluid The master cylinder connects to your brake pedal via a “push rod”. This push rod is then connected to each brakes cylinder by steel brake lines and the rubber hoses that carry the hydraulic brake fluid. Pressure applied to the brake pedal activates the master cylinder pistons which pump brake fluid through the systeM.
30. 29. The first thing to note is that your heating and AC system is designed to:Add heat to the inside environment, or Remove heat from the inside environment In other words, the cooling of your AC is not achieved by “creating cold”, but by removing heat and moisture from the air until the desired temperature is achieved.Your Car’s Heat and AC.
31. 30. Your Car’s heating and AC system consist of the following:1. Heater core or ‘secondary’ radiator2. Compressor3. Evaporator4. Condenser5. Fan6. Hoses 7. Liquid refrigerant (Freon, usually R-12 or R-134)In order to heat your car, the system circulates air around the heater core then return it back into the interior of the vehicle. Simple enough, right?The AC system is more elaborate. It starts with the evaporator, which receivesthe air pulled from the interior of the car via a fan. Meanwhile, your compressor is moving refrigerant through a condenser and back to the evaporator.In other words, your AC removes heat from the air by removing the water vapor it on a continual basis as it circulates through the system and back into car.
32. 31. Oil lubricates the moving parts of your engine, protecting them from the wear of friction and high temperatures.>What is important here , though, is nit any of the parts of the system but itself. The biggest thing you can do to extend the life of your vehicle is to have the oil changed on regular basis. Most manufactures recommend you get an oil changed every 2 to 3 months or every 2,000 to 3,000 miles.It is vitally important that you use the correct grade and viscosity of oil for your driving conditions. Very cold driving conditions require a thinner viscosity ( the thinner the oil, the faster it heats up) while very hot conditions may require multi-grade or higher viscosity oil.

                                                        FUTURE CAR

Fuel efficient, zero emission vehicles will use high tech electronics to assist drivers in a wide variety of ways. Vehicles will communicate with each other, with the road and with traffic signals. Autos and trucks of the future will use vision enhancement devices to help you navigate through bad weather and warn you of a possible collision with a pedestrian or animal. They will also let you know if you are getting drowsy or straying from your lane. Cars of the future will be radically different than the automobiles of today, and so will the driving experience.

Accident Free Driving

Obstacle detection, collision avoidance and intersection warning systems are being tested right now by governments and automobile manufacturers. Radio signals, sensors and cameras, future vehicles will help avoid accidents by examining the environment in real time and notifying the driver of potential problems.

Future Cars

Pedestrian and animal warning systems could use infrared or other detection technologies to identify large animals approaching the roadway, and alert drivers by activating flashers on warning signs. These systems may also activate in-vehicle warning devices.

Autos That Talk and Listen

While you are driving, your vehicles will communicate with the cars and trucks around you. Your future car will notify you when trucks are merging into your lane or motorcycles are in your blind spot. Smart intersections will sense vehicles from all directions and alert you of a possible collision.

Vision Enhancement

In vehicle Vision Enhancement Systems will improve visibility for night driving, inadequate lighting, fog, drifting snow, or other inclement weather driving conditions

User Interface

Cars of the future will do a better job of keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Voice recognition will provide a hands free way of accessing your on board computer and navigation system. But your on board computer may do more than talk back.

Haptic interfaces are human/computer interfaces.

Haptics exploits human behavior, since people are more likely to pay attention to tactile cues than visual cues. With haptic interfaces, a computer could receive or convey information through touch, pressure, force or vibration. For example, sensors embedded in the exterior of a car could feel if it's veering too close to another vehicle. That message could be relayed to the driver's seat, which could alert the driver to the danger with a tap on the shoulder.

The timeframe -- automakers typically spend five to seven years developing a car -- underscores the project’s aggressive goals and could set the stage for a battle for customers with Tesla Motors Inc. and General Motors Co. Both automakers are targeting a 2017 release of an electric vehicle that can go more than 200 miles on a single charge and cost less than $40,000.

“That’s the inflection point -- the proving ground -- that brings on the electric age,” Steve LeVine, author of “The Powerhouse,” a book about the automotive battery industry, said on Bloomberg TV Thursday. “Now you have Apple coming in and this is critical mass. Was GM really going to be able to match Tesla? Apple can.”

Apple, which posted record profit of $18 billion during the past quarter, has $178 billion in cash with few avenues to spend it. The Cupertino, California-based company’s research and development costs were $6.04 billion in the past year, and Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook is facing increased pressure to return cash to shareholders. The CEO has been pushing the iPhone maker to enter new categories to further envelop users’ digital lives with Apple’s products and services.

Apple’s possible foray into cars follows a similar path it’s taken to break into other industries. The company wasn’t the first to make a digital-music player or smartphone, and only entered those markets once it had a product that redefined those categories.