The Future of the Automobile
By : Lennie Zaiser
The car has completely revolutionized the United States and the world. Almost every nation on the planet, including the United States, has a “car-based” infrastructure and economy. This means that our nation’s infrastructure was planned for car drivers. It is almost impossible, outside of heavily concentrated urban areas, to commute without using a car or public transportation, although many choose the fist. Over 90% of Americans today own a motor vehicle or have access to one, and this trend is being seen all over the world, with rates of car ownership rapidly growing even in developing nations. As time moves and there are more technological developments, it is fascinating to speculate what the future of this fast-growing industry will look like. From its humble beginnings in Germany and mass-producing in the United States, the future of the car will break much of the conventions known about automobiles today, as it could include a hydrogen-powered car, a car-powered by synthetic, man-made fuels, a very efficient gasoline powered car, and even a fully autonomous self-driving car.
The History
Though there is a common misconception by many that the car was invented by Henry Ford, however this is not true. The first version of a working road car was invented by Karl Benz in 1886 Germany. Henry Ford did, however, master the production, manufacture, and distribution of the car in Detroit, Michigan, with the early Ford Motor Company models. These models include the famous Model T. His endeavors to mass-produce the car were fruitful, and many of his innovations are still used in the automobile industry to this day. While it may seem the car has advanced much in the past one-hundred years since Henry Ford started mass-producing the vehicle, the principles of the car have stayed relatively unchanged for most cars. Although there have been many technological developments in the safety, efficiency, and comfort since the inception of Henry Ford’s car, the vast majority of vehicles today still use petroleum-based products as “fuel” for the motor. The internal combustion engine has also remained relatively unchanged in its principle.
Where Are We Now?
Today, there are some visionary companies looking to break away from the standard model of “the car” as defined by the former visionary of the car Karl Benz. One of whom is Tesla Motor Company based out of the United States. Tesla, led by genius and future pioneer Elon Musk, has been developing electric vehicles for the past decade, that do not use petroleum-based products at all. In a recent documentary style video presented by James May, an automotive journalist who co-founded Drive Tribe, a community of car-enthusiasts, journalists, and critics, he discussed some of the unique features of the Tesla. “The Tesla is a BEV, a battery-electric vehicle,” states James May. “You charge it up like your laptop, as the battery itself is in the floor of the Tesla, and is in fact a giant laptop battery” (May). With new developments in the fields of battery storage and electrical efficiency, Tesla has made tremendous use of giant batteries to power their vehicles for long ranges off a single charge. With more developments in the field of battery efficiency, the “Tesla model” could rival gasoline powered cars one day in price and availability.
Although much of the world is still heavily dependent on “traditional” vehicles, as in ones that run on gasoline, there are some countries advancing forward with the use of electric and sustainable vehicles. Over the past few years, environmentalists, interest groups, and the public in the US and Europe have been pressured governments to promote electric vehicles to limit the use of fossil fuels and take up an “environment-friendly” agenda. Norway is one of these countries. In an article by Electrek, an online news website dedicated to electric transportation and sustainable energy, car journalist Fred Lambert states, “In 2020, all-electric cars have hit a record 54% market share of Norway’s total new car sales” (Lambert).This does not include gasoline hybrid vehicles, which are also a sustainable alternative, and make up a significant market share in Norway. The US could soon follow and implement these goals, with incentives being placed on electrical vehicle ownership by the Federal government and in many individual states at the state and local legislature level. Although a 100% electric transportation sector is unlikely in the United States at the present, it is certainly something to speculate over, and could be the future of our transportation sector.
The Future and Beyond
There have been many claims made by the media and companies that the future of the car will be an efficient, battery-powered, electric vehicle, but this is not necessarily the only path companies are taking to create a future automobile. Porsche, for example, has been looking into the application of synthetic fuels in their sports car models. These synthetic fuels are man-made in a factory. They are designed to have similar properties of gasoline used today without the emissions. Synthetic fuels, as well as being more efficient than traditional forms of gasoline, do not release any carbon dioxide or other pollutants, making them a sustainable energy option. Top Gear is a British automotive magazine subscription and television series on BBC. In a recent article on their corresponding website, automotive journalist Stephen Dobie interviews Porsche sports car director Frank Walliser, who states “Emissions are way better, there are less particles. These synthetic fuels have eight to ten components. Fuel today contains thirty to forty. As it is artificial, you have no by-products, so it’s way cleaner” (Dobie). Walliser is on the front lines of the movement to use synthetic fuels with existing vehicles. A car powered by synthetic fuels could be the vehicle of the future, as the nation’s infrastructure, which is already heavily reliant on gasoline, will not have to adjust significantly. Synthetic fuels are similar enough to traditional petroleum products that adjustment would be seamless, making this a likely contender as an alternative to power future automobiles.
One of the most revolutionary and ground-breaking developments in the field of cars is the newly developed and experimental hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. These fuel cell vehicles are limited in number and production, as they are still in the prototype phase. Hydrogen fuel cells are powered by compressed hydrogen gas that is reacted the oxygen outside. This reaction releases a large amount of energy, which is stored in a battery. The only emission is water, as water is comprised of hydrogen and oxygen molecule. The US Department of Energy has been interested in the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, as it could be a future energy alternative in vehicles. “Hydrogen is an alternative fuel that has a very high energy content by weight,” states the Department on their official government website. “Fuel cells are similar to batteries in that they produce electricity without combustion of emissions” (“5 Fast Facts about Hydrogen and Fuel Cells”). Not only are hydrogen powered vehicles sustainable in their energy production, but they are also efficient in storing electricity. A future transition to hydrogen would also be relatively seamless in the United States, as “hydrogen filling stations” are needed to provide hydrogen for the vehicle, similar to how gasoline powered cars require gas stations. Hydrogen powered vehicles have not yet been mainstream due to the high cost to harvest and transport hydrogen, and the high operational costs of the fuel cells in the vehicles themselves. Although hydrogen fuel cells are not ready yet for mass production, they are certainly an alternative for the future when discussing what the future of the car entails.
While there has been much speculation that the use of traditional gasoline and diesel engines may be phased out in the future to pave the way for more sustainable and efficient vehicle engines, yet there is a chance gasoline and diesel may not be gone for good. The industry surrounding crude oil is still one of the largest in the world. Economic markets around the world are linked almost directly to the price of gasoline. Even if alternatives, such as battery electric vehicles, are making great progress, the number of gasoline cars in the world far outnumber the amount of battery electric vehicles, and probably will for many years to come. There is good reason to believe that the future of the car could be similar to what is on the road today. In an article by British car magazine, Autocar, it is stated that “today, only about 20–30% of the fuel burned in an engine is converted to power and [there are] many ideas for devices to recover heat energy that is normally wasted through the exhaust and cooling system” (Burt). It is argued that the “car of the future” could simply be a very efficient gasoline powered vehicle. If more of the fuel burnt in the engine went to powering the vehicle, it would greatly reduce carbon emissions, while preventing a radical change in the automobile sector.
Imagine a vehicle that can pick people up on command from wherever they are, or a driverless taxi cab that could be summoned upon the use of a phone app. While the power source of the “car of the future” is widely speculated and pondered, it is well theorized that we will have self-driving cars in the future. The development of autonomous driving is a very futuristic concept, yet aspects of it can be found in many vehicles today. Many consumer vehicles on the road from a variety of car manufacturers have “lane-assist” technology, which allows the car to make automatic lane changes without the driver needing to make the action. Active breaking is also a common feature today, which allows the vehicle to break automatically when the vehicle’s sensor detects an object that may cause collision. Although these are all significant advancements in the field of autonomous driving and self-driving, Tesla motor company’s development of one-pedal driving is a large step forward in the development of self-driving and will most likely be implemented into vehicles of the future. In a National Geographic documentary about Tesla Motor company, the innovative one driving feature is elaborated upon. “Although the [Tesla] Model S has traditional breaks, you don’t have to use them. Region breaking can be engaged by simply easing off on the accelerator,” states journalist Tino Andresen. “The system magnetically resists the motor’s rotation, slowing the car and harvesting the remaining electric current” (“Tesla Motors — Documentary, National Geographic”). Even the one-pedal technology, as significant of an innovation as it is, will be overshadowed by self-driving cars. The future of full-autonomous vehicles is still highly speculated, and we still do not know the extent of future technology. We do however know that the future vehicle will include autonomous driving at some level, and it will dramatically transform the way people commute.
Final Thoughts
The automobile has come along way since its original inception in Germany and mass-production in the United States, and still has the opportunity to advance further as technological developments continue to grow exponentially. The future of the car could include a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, a standard internal combustion engine that is very efficient, or a vehicle that is powered by synthetic fuels, all while having a partially or fully autonomous drivetrain. In order for the future of the car as we know it to excel, synthetic fuels must become a more integral part of future vehicles. Synthetic fuels do not release any carbon dioxide, abiding by potential emission regulations in the future, They also do not require an unreasonable complete transformation of the transportation sector. They are the most similar to what everyone in the United States and the world is accustomed to, as synthetic fuels are very similar to petroleum-based fuels. Synthetic fuels will be able to become the future gasoline, transforming the United States and its transportation sector. The future of cars is exciting, especially today. If the car has significantly advanced already from its simple beginnings only a century ago, imagine what the next one-hundred years has in store for the automobile.
A Works Cited
Burt, Matt, et al. “The Future of Motoring — What Will Cars Be Like in 25 Years?” Autocar UK, 20 Feb. 2016, https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/future-motoring-what-will-cars-be-25-years. Accessed on 8 Apr. 2021.
Dobie, Stephen. “Could Synthetic Fuels Save the Porsche 911 GT3 From Turbos?” Top Gear, https://www.topgear.com/car-news/future-tech/could-synthetic-fuel-save-porsche-911-gt3-turbos. Accessed on 8 Apr. 2021.
“5 Fast Facts About Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.” US Department of Energy, 4 Oct. 2017, https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/5-fast-facts-about-hydrogen-and-fuel-cells. Accessed on 8 Apr. 2021.
“James May Reviews His Own Cars — Tesla Model S vs Toyota Mirai.” YouTube, uploaded by DriveTribe, 25 Dec. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaIW5CQQ3Zo. Accessed on 8 Apr. 2021.
Lambert, Fred. “Norway’s Gas Car Sales Are Crashing to a Crawl and Rest of the World Will Follow Faster Than You Think.” Electrek, 7 Apr. 2021, https://electrek.co/2021/04/07/norways-gas-car-sales-crashing-world-follow/. Accessed on 8 Apr. 2021.