Future of Driving

There’s never been a more exciting time for the automotive industry. We’re on the cusp of a revolution, and technology is about to transform the way we drive forever. Artificial Intelligence looks set to bring us cars that can think, react, entertain us and drive themselves altogether. But what exactly are the biggest companies in the business drawing up right this second? Take a look below.

Google

Sticky Car Coating

Toyota

Aerocar

Jaguar Landrover

Facial Recognition Door Unlocking

Ford

Inflatable Bumper

Ford

A 'Batpod Motorcycle'

Ford

Windshield Movie Screen

Ford

Robotic Cameraman

Ford

Roof Airbag

Ford

Heat Generated Graphics

Mercedes-Benz

Tyre Coolers

Amazon

Lane Assignments

Apple

iPhone Car Keys

Apple

Collision Avoidance System

Toyota

In Car Personal Trainer

Yamaha

Amphibious Car

Ford

Laterally Tiltable Car

Ford

Foldable Minimalist Car

Jaguar Landrover

Dance Gesture Vehicle Unlocking

Hyundai

Mobile Phone Disabler

Honda

Multiple Pedestrian Detection

Hyundai

Speed Bump Dectection

Ford

Predicting Movements Based on Body Language

Volkswagen

Self-driving with Driver Controls Option

Google

Real-time Emergency Vehicle Detection

It’s hard to say how many of these mind-blowing patents will ever come to full fruition. Regardless, at the rate technology and artificial intelligence are advancing, we can be sure that the car of tomorrow looks and drives very differently to today.

Sticky car coating

Patented by - Google

May 2016

Human Flypaper

If struck, pedestrians and cyclists would stick to the car’s bonnet like a fly on flypaper, preventing secondary injuries from road contact and other cars. The logistics aren’t totally clear, but there’s serious potential for this innovation to prevent harm.

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Aerocar

Patented by - Toyota

May 2016

The flying car finally arrives

There’s no doubt it’s been attempted many times, but could science fiction finally become reality? In this model, wings hidden in the roof would be deployed at the touch of a button. Four stacked above each other would transform the car into a ‘multiplane’ style aircraft.

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Facial recognition door unlocking

Patented by - Jaguar Landrover

October 2016

Never lose your keys again

If you’re constantly misplacing your keys, you’ll like the sound of this one. Instead, you could be unlocking your car with the one thing you can’t forget – your own face. Cameras mounted in windows and doors would scan features, recognising the car’s rightful owner.

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Inflatable bumper

Patented by - Ford

March 2017

Airbags inside. Airbags outside?

All new cars today are fitted with internal airbags to protect passengers, yet Ford have patented their idea to use airbags on the outside, too. Sensors would trigger an inflatable bumper and a popping bonnet to help cushion pedestrians from injury if collided with.

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‘Batpod motorcycle’

Patented by - Ford

December 2015

Two vehicles in one

This outlandish idea from Ford would see drivers jack their car’s wheel using an extension, which would then form a motorised unicycle perfect for city travel. Inspired by the way the Batpod is created from reconfigured parts of the Batmobile, it’s intended to address problems around transporting bikes.

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Windshield movie screen

Patented by - Ford

March 2016

‘Drive-in theatre’ gets a whole new meaning

With us no longer having to keep an eye on the road, driverless cars look set to make journeys safer – but more boring. Ford have the answer. Their solution would see your windscreen transformed into a giant TV screen – using a drop-down projector – while the car drives itself.

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Robotic cameraman

Patented by - Ford

January 2017

Never miss a snap

It’s frustrating when you’re powering down the road and a magnificent vista opens up in front of you – but you can’t pick up your smartphone to snap it. This idea would see intelligent cameras mounted around the car’s frame, able to use speed and trajectory data to optimise shots.

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Roof airbag

Patented by - Ford

April 2017

Protection from a rollover

Car rollovers are extremely dangerous. Ford proposes a specially designed roof rack fitted with airbags that, in the event of an accident, would wrap around the vehicle’s sides to cushion and protect in the event of one or more rolls.

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Heat-generated graphics

Patented by - Ford

December 2016

Using temperature to turn heads

Ford will take your car to the next level. When covered in snow, hot plates beneath the bodywork would melt shaped patches, unveiling a unique pattern. Carefully placed cold plates would form condensation on hot days in a similar fashion. Paint that responds to temperature may even be used.

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Tyre coolers

Patented by - Mercedes-Benz

June 2016

Water recycling for road performance

This ingenious idea would allow the car to collect water beneath the windscreen, before spraying it out onto tyres should sensors suggest it’s necessary – either heated or cooled depending on the weather. It’s thought this could help extend a tyre’s life and improve driving conditions.

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Lane assignments

Patented by - Amazon

January 2017

Self-driving gets even smarter

It’s fair to say there’s unsolved problems when it comes to Self-driving cars. One of these is how they would deal with ‘reversible’ lanes. Amazon proposes a centralised roadway management system that would communicate with multiple cars and co-ordinate their lane movements en-masse.

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iPhone car key

Patented by - Apple

May 2016

The pockets of the future are emptier

Carrying around a phone, wallet and big set of keys can be a pain. The solution? Integrate them. Apple have patented technology, which would allow users to control their car from their phone – unlock it, start it up, adjust seats and even more.

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Collision avoidance system

Patented by - Apple

December 2016

The Apple iCar?

Apple have been granted a patent for a unique collision avoidance system, able to detect and understand the world in 3D, moving around relative to objects to find a route. This is a clear indication the company is in the early stages of creating a car.

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In-car personal trainer

Patented by - Toyota

November 2016

Let your car get you into shape

Toyota’s latest innovation would see your health and fitness goals loaded into the car’s information centre, via a device such as a phone. Your car would then make encouraging suggestions, like parking further away from your destination to get some steps in. Helpful? Yes. Annoying? Potentially.

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Amphibious car

Patented by - Yamaha

Yamaha

Half car, half boat

A concept dreamed up many a time, Yamaha’s patent suggests they’re serious about making an amphibious car. Once you hit water, the cars wheels would retract into its body, creating a boat’s hull.

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Laterally tiltable car

Patented by - Ford

February 2016

The city car of the future?

This unique new concept from Ford features a narrow vehicle, which seats two people in single file. What stands out is how it tilts itself into corners, righting itself after – like a bicycle. Its narrowness means two cars can drive alongside in a single lane, and fit in one parking space.

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Foldable minimalist car

Patented by - Ford

September 2016

Back to basics for the future

Ironically, Ford’s latest invention is inspired by one of their first – the Model A from 1903. This ultra-lightweight electric vehicle is more go-kart than car, using as few parts as possible – and boasts zero emissions. The coolest bit? It can be folded up to save on space when it’s parked.

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Dance gesture vehicle unlocking

Patented by - Jaguar Landrover

October 2015

Bust a move before you drive

Of all the alternative ways you could think of to unlock a car, you probably hadn’t imagined this. Jaguar Landrover have patented technology that would observe a chain of movements – a dance – performed by a person. If it was a match with the predefined routine, the car would unlock.

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Mobile phone disabler

Patented by - Hyundai

April 2015

Helping keep your eyes where they need to be

Using your phone behind the wheel is illegal. We’ve all been tempted though, or found ourselves in situations where we feel like we have to pick the phone up. Hyundai’s solution? Simply disable the phone. A signal detected in the driver’s seat would cause the phone’s features to be restricted.

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Multiple pedestrian detection

Patented by - Honda

September 2016

360 detection of where people are

Many cars are already fitted with tech that activates the brakes if a pedestrian is detected. Honda want to take it one step further. Using a head-up display, information about the location of multiple pedestrians would be shown on the windscreen, even those out of the driver’s view.

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Speed bump detection

Patented by - Hyundai

June 2015

Optimise how you handle speed bumps

Speed bumps can be a pain. They either slow you down massively or you risk damaging your car. Hyundai have patented technology that would size up every bump as your car approaches, warn you, and slow down or speed up your car to the perfect speed to pass it.

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Predicting movements based on body language

Patented by - Ford

May 2017

Self-driving cars that understand other drivers

One problem with Self-driving cars is that there’ll be a lengthy period when they don’t totally rule the road – they’ll have human drivers to reckon with. To ensure transition is safe and smooth, Ford plan to kit out their cars with systems to read the expressions and gestures of other road users.

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Self-driving with driver controls option

Patented by - Volkswagen

September 2016

The human mind and AI in harmony

Handing all power over to technology seems bizarre to most – it could never make the reasoned judgements we could, surely? Volkswagen agree. Their Self-driving cars would allow humans to interact with Self-driving mode, with drivers prompted to make decisions the AI can’t, such as to overtake.

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Real-time emergency vehicle detection

Patented by - Google

September 2016

Self-driving cars that respond to an emergency

We all know pulling out of the way of an ambulance is a day-to-day reality when driving. To ensure the Self-driving cars of the future know when and how to pull this manoeuvre off – Google want to equip cars with a system that detects lights and sirens and moves the car accordingly.

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