Tech

The 12 most impressive car innovations we've seen this year

Danielle Muoio

2015-12-03T14:13:00Z

Porsche concept car driving — The Porsche Mission E comes with some pretty sweet features. Porsche

It's not enough to design functional, standard cars that can perform all of the traditional automobile tasks anymore.

They have to be smart, comfortable, easy to use, and just cool.

That's why automakers and tech companies have been designing innovative car features from holographic dashboards to rotating chairs.

These innovations can improve the driving experience, whether it's you or the car driving, and highlight what we can expect to see in the near future.

Here are the 12 most innovative technologies unveiled this year, ranked from least to most impressive.

12. Nissan unveiled a steering wheel that transforms into a tablet.

What it is: Nissan unveiled its self-driving, IDS concept car in October, which comes with an animated steering wheel that transforms into a tablet.

What it means: There are no current plans to bring the car, and its technology, into production. But the car highlights how interiors can alter based on whether they're in autopilot mode or not. The steering wheel turned tablet hints at what's to come when we start seeing driverless cars around 2020.

11. This concept car comes with advanced touch-screen display that allows you to play video games or chat with friends.

What it is: The Nissan concept car is a bit far-fetched — it's basically a giant driveable tablet that lets you play with the seats the same way you would an iPad. The touch screens accommodate video chats and video-game playing and provide information about the car itself, like the distance to your destination.

What it means: Cars will become more intuitive going forward. We've already made cars easier to use with the advent of some touch-screen and Bluetooth technology, but soon touch screens with highly advanced features won't be seen as a perk but as an expected necessity. Apple CEO Tim Cook even said that "software becomes an increasingly important part of the car of the future."

10. This high-tech car seat will give you a massage when it detects you're stressed.

What it is: Automotive-parts manufacturer Faurecia and Stanford University's Center for Design Research developed the car seat, dubbed the Active Wellness seat, that can measure your heart and breathing rate to ensure you're alert and comfortable.

If it detects you're becoming stressed, it'll recommend a back massage. The driver can then choose whether or not to accept the pampering.

What it means: One of the issues with semiautonomous systems is that you can become so relaxed you forget to remain alert. But even if a highly-intelligent system is driving your car for you, it doesn't mean you shouldn't be aware of what's going on in case you need to intervene.

This innovation shows how automakers will continue to focus on ways to keep drivers alert and comfortable when driving is no longer preoccupying their minds.

9. Mobileye created a system that can integrate safety features into any dashboard.

What it is: The company created a camera-based collision-avoidance system that can be integrated in any vehicle to help drivers avoid hazards. The system will make a sound when the driver is veering out of their lane or tailgating, or if it detects that the vehicle might be on a collision course with a pedestrian or another object.

It can also detect lane markings and traffic signs and read speed limits so it can alert the driver by beeping when they are speeding.

What it means: You don't necessarily need to shell out on a Tesla to have state-of-the-art safety features.

8. Similarly, WayRay is using augmented reality so you can get information on your windshield to keep your eyes on the road.

What it is: Tech company WayRay created Navion, a heads-up display that projects holographic images onto the driver's windshield. Only the driver can see the full-color holographic image, which provides the driver with their current speed, how far away the destination is, and the distance until the next turn.

Green arrows will also guide the driver along their route, which could come in handy when it's night and difficult to see the road.

What it means: Augmented reality could become a regular feature in cars.

7. A hydrogen-powered fuel cell powers this Toyota concept car as part of the automaker's effort to create the ideal, eco-friendly city car.

What it is: Named the FCV Plus, the hydrogen-powered fuel-cell technology has already begun rolling out in Toyota's Mirai car in California. By 2017, the company aims to have as many as 3,000 Mirais on the road in the US.

What it means: Although the FCV Plus is unlikely to go into production anytime soon, as it's designed for when hydrogen energy is in widespread use, it's an innovation that shows the potential for transportation that uses alternative energy.

6. This driverless concept car comes with four motorized lounge chairs that can be rotated to allow for face-to-face conversations.

The Mercedes-Benz F 015 concept asks, why face the road? Mercedes-Benz

What it is: Mercedes-Benz unveiled the futuristic concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas January 5. The seats can rotate to allow for face-to-face conversations.

What it means: This is another innovation that shows how, as driverless cars become more the norm, automakers will think of clever ways to preoccupy passengers while they cruise along.

5. Future Volvo cars could come with different modes for relaxing and driving.

What it is: Volvo released a concept car, Concept 26, with "relax," "drive," and "create" modes. In drive mode, the car minimizes distractions, while in relax mode, the seats recline to allow the driver to watch TV on a screen attached to the dashboard. The create mode is like a point in between relax and drive, allowing the seats to slightly recline.

The company plans on rolling out some of the features included in the Concept 26 when its autonomous vehicles hit the market.

What it means: Similar to the Mercedes-Benz concept car, Volvo's Concept 26 shows how car interiors will adapt to accommodate autonomous driving.

4. The Porsche Mission E, which you can expect to see in five years, comes with a holographic dashboard.

What it is: An all-electric concept car with a range of 250 miles that charges in just 15 minutes. The car has eye-tracking technology that will detect where the driver is looking on the dashboard and open the corresponding instrument. The driver can then confirm the selection by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

What it means: It's another innovative feature that shows how cars will become more intuitive going forward. It also highlights an increased desire to create tech that cuts down on potential accidents.

3. The BMW 7 Series comes with a key fob that features color touch display.

What it is: You can see loads of information about the car on the tiny fob. It even allows you to start and kill your car's engine. The fob can be charged on a wireless charging pad on the console of the BMW.

What it means: Car owners can have more power and control over their cars even when they're not in them.

2. Mitsubishi's self-driving concept car can parallel park for you.

What it is: The car can autonomously respond to road and traffic conditions. But most importantly, it can parallel park for you, which is a pretty magnificent feature — especially for those living in cities where parking spots are notoriously tight.

What it means: Every aspect of driving is about to become a lost easier down the road.

1. We would be remiss to talk about the best car innovations and not include Tesla's autopilot system.

What it is: Tesla rolled out its new Version 7.0 software late this year and it did not disappoint. The updates come with automatic steering, automatic lane change, side-collision warning, and automatic parallel parking.

The autopilot is so good, in fact, that people have been posting crazy videos of them using it on YouTube.

What it means: Tesla is getting that much closer to perfecting a completely driverless system. It also shows the future for smart-car technology: Just like a phone, owners can approve software updates to get exposure to new perks.

Cars Transportation Self-Driving Car