It’s truly amazing how the car industry went from only using electricity for ignition of the engine to having no part of driving experience that’s not connected to the internet. All this in just more than a century. See about this industry revolution here.
Today’s vehicles look more like giant driving computers, than gas driven transportation systems. As cars developed and moved forward, everything else on the side accompanying the driving as a whole also evolved. The roads are different, the garages are different, and even stores got adjusted to them. It’s a normal process, right? So how did this happen and where are we now?
When did computers start to rule?
The 70s are officially the decade when car manufacturers started implementing computer parts into their vehicles. By the end of the 1980s, more companies computerized their products. Of course, we’re talking about things here that we take for granted today. Things like electronic windows, windshield wipers, and stuff like that.
As of 1990, firmware for creating a driver’s screen started developing as a major revolution. Today, not just a screen is a must in every car, but they are now connected to the internet, and software is available for driving the car without the presence of a person inside. Talking about a revolution, huh?
What about off-car stuff?
It’s quite normal everything to drive in the same direction. As vehicles evolved, so did everything else around. For example, the valet parking that’s so popular in some hotels and restaurants is now being replaced by computer software. Not just there’s no need of people taking the responsibility for parking a million-dollar car, but there’s not even a chance for anyone to have contact with it if the driver itself doesn’t allow this.
Parking pay stations
Back in the day, there was no parking payment because there were no cars to overcrowd a place. Today, the busy streets and the giant cities will collapse without organized parking plots. See this amazing information on the history of parking here: http://www.parking-net.com/about-parking/history-of-parking.
Not so long ago, when people realized that a parking manager is needed, they used to hire people for collecting ticket’s payment and allowing drivers to use the plots. Today, all this is automated.
We’ve all seen the paying kiosks, where a computer receives money and gives back the change. They validate your ticket and you can freely leave the place without the need to even talk to anyone.
If you thought that this is the future, just wait to see how parking pay stations evolved. Today, the firmware for these pay stations do a lot more than just validating your ticket. By installing a special application on your smartphone, you can be in constant awareness of what’s going on with your car. Cameras, timers, locators, you think about an issue they already have it resolved.
More companies are developing such firmware. Depending on the needs there can be modifications based on the client’s wishes.
One of the best parts of this growing trend is automated valet parking. Car developing companies and software developing companies are working together to create the best driving experience especially when you need to park.
How does this look? Imagine you’re going to a restaurant and this restaurant has an automated valet parking. You get out of the car right in front of the main entrance, close the door, give the app a start signal and the car goes by itself in the garage behind the corner. Cool stuff, huh?
This is all possible because of the development of special apps that make this possible. If the restaurant has no valet option, they might have a paring paying kiosk that is working on the same app. No need to get out of the car and looking for a change, just touch the cell phone and you’re good to go. See the CVPS Automated Valet Software to find out how some of these things work.
What will happen in the future?
Who knows where’s the end? Could anyone strongly predict where we are today 50 years ago? We often like to talk about flying cars and similar sci-fi stories, but if look into the facts, we’ll see that we’re going into a different direction.
Today, the gas-driven vehicles are slowly becoming marginalized. Knowing the pollution, they cause, it’s inevitable that one day, all cars will be just a big motherboard with a strong processor and two pairs of wheels. And why not, right? What’s wrong with it?
Electronic, software-based cars are pollution-free, noise-free, and are able to be programmed for maximum safety on the roads. Over 100 people die from car crashes every day in the US. This is a staggering number. Imagine if we could prevent this, that’s over 35 thousand people staying alive each year. That’s a lot of people.
Conclusion
Nikola Tesla wanted to electrify the world. He had a vision, but this vision was probably downsized by greedy people who wanted to make a profit. That’s probably the main reason why our planet is so polluted today and so big part of the industry, in general, is driven on gas. The times when electricity was supposed to bloom completely, it was pushed down by gas. Who knows how the world would look like if we didn’t take that road? See more about Nikola Tesla’s ideas here.
However, it is what it is. In the new millennium, we’re starting to take the other road. Computer software is being the new industrial revolution. Let’s see where this will take us.
