As much as we enjoy telling you about the latest supercars and luxury saloons here at EDGAR, it is the futuristic technology in the cars of tomorrow that really makes us giddy.

The guys at Carmudi, an online vehicle marketplace, obviously have the same interest as they have looked into the future of the motoring industry and zeroed in on five technologies that are set to hit the market in the next decade.

From sleeping behind the wheel to cars that monitor your health as you hit the accelerator, these are the technologies of tomorrow’s motors that will change how you drive for ever.

Autonomous cars


Target group: Lazy drivers
USP: Save your energy and relax whilst travelling

Fitted with cameras, sensors, radar and lasers, self-driven cars will bring a new dimension to driving etiquette on roads. Although Google’s self-driven cars are already in operation, they are still in the decision-making process of whether to manufacture the cars themselves or sell the technology to better-established car manufacturers.

Flying cars


Target group: Those with cash to splash
USP: Just fly over the traffic jams

The idea is nothing new and it was first seen in 1917 with the Curtiss Autoplane, although really that hopped rather than flew. These types of vehicles were initially used for emergency services, law enforcement and the super-rich. In terms of a mass produced flying car, we’re not there yet but some companies are working on it, with Terrafugia leading the research.

Networked cars


Target group: City dwellers
USP: No need for a driving license

Aimed at those who live in crowded urban areas, it will attempt to solve the problems associated with travelling in these locations. It is a system where one calls a networked car via a smartphone app and the vehicle (pod) arrives at that destination and picks up a maximum of two people. The pod calculates the best route based on real time traffic information. It may sound like an idea too far in the future, but General Motors plans to run tests on this system in large cities around the world by 2020.

Cheaper, high-range electric cars


Target group: Stewards of the earth
USP: No greenhouse emissions

Electric cars have long thought to be the solution to CO2 emissions from gas guzzling motors and yet they’re not so widely used. But one of their problems is the high production cost of Li-ion batteries used to power them. However, professors at the University Wollongong, Australia have had a breakthrough. An element found abundantly in the earth’s crust (germanium) has the ability when incorporated into the battery to increase the energy storage of Li-ion batteries by up to 5 times. What’s more, improved storage will reduce the price of the batteries.

Fuel Cell Cars


Target group: Those who get dehydrated whilst driving
USP: Produces water as waste

These types of cars are seen as the solution to the environmentally damaging combustion vehicles and expensive electricity-powered cars. These vehicles produce water as a byproduct and are said to be capable of long range driving, according to Samuelsen. However, there are not a high number of charging stations readily available across different locations to make them practical and the large batteries take up trunk space. However, we’re sure those issues will be fixed in the not too distance future.

Details: visit carmudi.ae