With each passing year the car industry evolves, announcing new innovative technology and vehicles, and 2018 was no different.

Today we wanted to take a quick look back on 2018’s biggest trends and innovations, as well as insights into what we can expect to see become reality over the next few years.

Connected Technology

In 2018, technology became more integral to the vehicles, as manufacturers continued to use innovations to separate their cars from similar models on the market.

While screens and chargers have been integrated into the seats and doors for the better part of 10 years, this trend is tipped to accelerate into the future, with displays on windows and in-car streaming expected to become reality.

One of the main focuses for 2018, however, was on wearable technology. The ability to open car doors with the tap of a wristband allows drivers more flexibility. It can be cumbersome to carry metal keys to the beach or on a hike.

Additionally, with the value of dashcam footage being repeatedly shown, it has become a trend for cameras mounted on the dash to become standard inclusions.

Technology At The Dealership

At the dealership level, virtual reality car driving tests have become more and more of a prominent part of the luxury car sales market. This technology allows consumers to test out how a car drives, without ever actually being in the vehicle.

While the technology had some up front issues when it was first introduced at a wide scale (like experienced-induced nausea), newer modules seem to have worked out the kinks.

In the mobile space, more car manufactures and dealers alike are designing apps for this technology. The importance of manufactures utilizing technology to attract customers was a big trend in 2018, you can expect this trend to continue into the future.

Environmentally Conscious

Making cars more environmentally friendly was a dominating trend in 2018 and will only grow more popular in years in to come. 2018 saw eco-friendly vehicles like electric cars become more popular.

More of these types of vehicles were sold and many manufacturers now offer at least one electric vehicle. Additionally, eco-friendly innovations like creating solar panels on the roof of a car, so the car can charge itself on a sunny day, were also announced this year.

Additionally, batteries that can be stored in the door panels of a vehicle are currently being researched. It is expected that as the demand for eco-friendly vehicles grows, these innovations will become more widespread.

Automating Everything

The huge automation trend continued to dominate conversation in 2018. Automation refers largely to technologies like self-driving cars. There is a lot of interest in this space from a diverse group of companies. Some companies, like Uber, want to use the technology to make their services more efficient.

Other companies want to incorporate it into their vehicles to create a more relaxing experience for drivers. Either way, there are still many practical and ethical issues surrounding this technology.

Moving into 2019 you can expect this trend will continue to grow as driverless cars continue to be developed and the technology continues to advance.

2019 and Beyond…

This article has looked at three of the biggest trend in motoring in 2018. These were; the incorporation of more innovative technology into vehicles, an increasing focus on the more environmentally friendly electric vehicles and advancements in creating automated cars.

These powerful trends will continue to grow in 2019 and will have influence long into the future.