Translogistics

Thanks to modern manufacturing techniques, cars are getting lighter and, accordingly, more fuel efficient

Conversely and perversely cars are also getting heavier because of the amount of technology they now carry; and what we see on cars today is just the tip of the iceberg

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Geeks now rule the Earth and they have determined that what we need in our lives today is even more techno gadgets on our motors

It will soon be impossible to print handbooks for cars because they will be so thick that they will make War and Peace look like a convenient light read

There is even a rumour that printed material will be replaced by a Stephen Hawking recording – because he is the only one who really understands this stuff – to explain each new toy as the driver attempts to deploy it

Some of the more eye-catching examples are only two or three years away

Right now some cars will warn the driver if drowsiness is suspected because of lane drifting or similar

This is a great idea especially for long distance travellers

Technology just around the corner will wirelessly monitor the drivers heart rate and respiration by way of a clever seat

Any suspicion of sleepiness will trigger an alarm

The only worry about this is, let’s say for the sake of delicacy, other emotions

Perhaps the car will deploy a virtual bucket of cold water

It has been reported that 2015 will see the first car with gesture recognition; and you thought you already knew all the motoring gestures

Even earlier there is the possibility of voice recognition

To an extent this is already here as some of you will have already tried to give basic Bluetooth or sat-nav instructions to an automaton that appears to speak a language unknown to man

Nevertheless improvements are coming which means talking to your car will be the norm

Expect worried glances in car parks

Remember those old fashioned cigarette lighters in cars? In these healthier days they have morphed into handy 12v sockets for operating or charging stuff

Even better would be the chance to remove this old device altogether and charge gadgets wirelessly

Place your gadget in the convenient container adjacent to the driving seat and charging will begin automatically

Now that’s handy

Still under development is something that any stressed-out dad is going to thank the gods for and who will be happy to cough up any amount of option cost to get it on the car

Noise cancelling headrests! Surrounding noise will automatically generate anti-noise signals

This is the one that will make the discovery of sliced bread slide anonymously into history

Squalling kids in the back, mothers-in-law – goodness gracious, the number of reasons why all cars should have this is beyond counting

It’s true too: this high tech solution for the seeker of a quiet life does exist and is even now being perfected

There is a whole raft of new automotive technology on its way to a new car near you

All the above and much more will be available sooner than you think

There is an argument that says that cars are getting too complicated and there is merit in that; but lots of us like a bit of high-tech and will look forward to some exciting new innovations

As long as they make sense and make a contribution to safety and convenience, what’s the problem?