Automobile manufactures like to use concept cars to give car buyers a glance into the future of automotive design and function.
But
concept cars are both extremely fascinating and frustrating because, if
and when they eventually go into production, they never look like the
shinny ultra cool cars spinning on display at your local auto show.
Because of cost, production, safety, and styling issues the final cars
that roll from the assembly lines are usually just mere shadows of
their concept cousins.
So while it may be very difficult indeed
to discern the future of automotive style and substance from concept
cars, it is not to hard to predict the death of trends from current
productions cars.
So here's my Top Ten List of Endangered Automotive Trends, Forms, and Features:
10) The key
I
have to be honest and say that I can't recall the last time I used an
actual key to unlock a car door. Most new cars come with key fobs, and
the newest of cars come with proximity sensors that unlock the doors as
long as you have the key in your pocket or purse. In fact the current
generation of the Toyota Prius with the proximity sensor only has a
tiny key hidden in the fob.
It won't be too long from now until
automakers, like consumers who have done away with land phone lines, do
away with the key entirely.
9) A key to start the car
For
better or for worse the push button start is here to stay. As cars
become more and more electrified, the push button starter will just
seem more natural. Plus, why would you need a key to turn when you have
a proximity fob in your pocket that electronically tells the car you
are ready to drive.
8) The CD player and changer
If
you are like me and you've owned a car with a CD changer in the trunk
you know that you'll sooner listen to that Madonna's "Like a Virgin"
for the 100th than actually open the trunk and change the crusty old CD.
But
even if you have just a regular CD player in the car and 10 great CD's
tucked into the sun visor they will never be as convenient as iPod or
iPhone with your entire music library. So in car hard drives, iPod
auxiliary ports, and other MP3 players are in, and CD's are as dead as
dinosaurs.
7) Small Sun Roofs
The
small sunroof that used to only allow the sun to grace the face of the
driver and passenger at high noon is going the way of the dodo bird.
Today even many reasonably priced cars like the Subaru Forester and
Outback come with massively expansive sun roofs that open from the
front of the roof all the way to the rear seats of the car.
And
it won't be long before these massive sunroofs come with an array of
solar cells to charge auxiliary batteries that will power in car
ventilation systems to keep the car cool even when parked at your
favorite beach. The 2010 Prius has this sort of solar sunroof as an
option, and they'll soon start popping up on many other cars like
mushrooms after a heavy rain.
6) Instant engine shut off/start
I
don't even want to think about how much gas is wasted by cars idling at
stoplights. If they can build a golf cart that starts and stops its
engine based when you push on the accelerator, why can't cars do the
same?
They can, some do, and more will.
As more and more
and more cars switch to electricity as a partial or full form of
propulsion, it will become easier to shut off the gas engine at
stoplights. The current real problem is that cars, unlike golf carts,
also have air conditioners, heaters, and power everything that works
only when the engine runs. So no engine running means no cooling at hot
intersections or stalled traffic jams.
Many manufactures have
already solved this technical problem including Mini which now sells
many of it European bound cars with this engine shut off feature as
standard. It is just a matter of time before we will get this
technology on more cars on our side of the pond.
5) Incandescent light bulbs
The traditional light bulb is so out—both in the home and in the car.
It
was not that long ago that many premium car brands like BMW, Audi and
Mercedes switched to high intensity discharge headlands which provide a
brighter and stronger light source. These are the cars that when you
look down the highway at night seem to have blueish headlights.
But
now many of those same brands are switching the LED lights because they
are just as bright, use less power, and potentially last much longer
without the need to replace those pesky small light bulbs.
As the
coolness factor of LED's goes way up and the cost goes down, you'll
soon start to see many more entry level cars with LED lights instead of
traditional light bulbs.
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