Driving in 2030 — How Will Cars Change in the Next Decade?

Car design has evolved considerably over the last 100 years, with recent technological advancements creating rapid transformations in the automotive industry. From enhanced safety features to carsharing, we look at how driving is likely to change in the next 10 years.

1. New Brands

Until Apple and Samsung disrupted the mobile technology landscape by producing innovative new products to keep pace with evolving consumer demands, the likes of Blackberry, Motorola, and Nokia dominated the mobile phone industry. Automotive experts anticipate a similar shift in the car industry, with Tesla and new additions like Apple, Dyson, and Google gradually increasing their market share as they innovate exciting, efficient new products.

2. Autonomous Cars

Today, many cars come equipped with groundbreaking technology, such as automatic emergency braking, blind-spot view monitor, video rearview mirror, 360-degree camera, and teen driver technology.

Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) incorporate a myriad of innovative features, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, cross-traffic alert, and reverse brake assist, making driving easier and safer for motorists.

Experts predict that ADAS will play a critical role in preparing consumers and regulators for a transition to driverless cars, gradually lifting more and more of the burden of driving from motorists — until cars eventually become fully autonomous. Though there have been several high-profile accidents involving autonomous vehicles, they are still touted as a safer alternative to human drivers, with human error cited as the leading cause of traffic fatalities globally.

With distracted driving having been cited as one of the 10 leading causes of car accidents, it will perhaps come as little surprise that approximately 1 in 4 car accidents in the United States results from motorists texting while driving. Meanwhile, according to the NHTSA, drinking and driving causes more than 10,000 deaths in America annually, equating to one life lost every 52 minutes. Tired drivers are also a significant problem, with 69 percent of motorists admitting that they have felt drowsy behind the wheel at least once this month.

Autonomous cars do not text and drive, drive drunk, or fall asleep behind the wheel, drastically diminishing the risk of accidents. Provided that regulatory and technological issues can be ironed out, up to 15 percent of new cars sold in 2030 could be autonomous.

3. Electric Vehicles

Stricter emission regulations, combined with a more widely available charging infrastructure, lower battery costs, and increasing consumer acceptance, will create momentum for a transition to electric vehicles (EVs) in the coming years. The speed of this switch will largely be determined by regulatory push and consumer pull, which currently vary widely at regional and local levels.

Market analysts predict that EVs could account for up to 50 percent of all new car sales by 2030, with adoption highest in large cities, where strict emissions regulations will be imposed and consumers will be presented with tax breaks, discounted electricity pricing, and special driving and parking privileges to incentivize the transition.

By 2030, Volkswagen anticipates that 70 percent of its SUV and sedan sales will be powered by battery electric. With governments all over the world making it increasingly difficult for consumers to buy cars powered by gasoline and diesel as part of strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions, EVs are touted as a one-way bet, with sales predicted to skyrocket in the coming years.

4. Car Sharing

Though stemmed somewhat by social distancing policies enacted to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, the North American carsharing industry is predicted to reach $4.8 billion by 2024.

For several years, many large American cities have provided car-sharing facilities, a concept that will become even more viable with the introduction of autonomous vehicles, eliminating the need for consumers to search for a shared vehicle in their area, creating a convenient “on-demand” service so that the user can simply order a vehicle wherever they happen to be.

5. Congestion-free Roads

According to a United Nations forecast, by the year 2050, 2 out of 3 people globally will live in a city.

AI and automation place the technology at our fingertips not only to eliminate fatal accidents, but also to reduce congestion. Experts tip that the cars of the future will avoid tailbacks by communicating and coordinating with one another. Working via a 10G mobile network, built-in AI systems communicate with all other vehicles within a set radius. When a car brakes, it sends a signal to the car behind, causing it to slow down automatically, avoiding traffic jams and eliminating gridlock.

6. Car Design

With so many changes predicted in terms of fueling and driving the next generation of automobiles, experts anticipate that manufacturers will stick with tried-and-true car designs conforming to conventional size classes to avoid overwhelming consumers.

Although EVs have no use for a large front radiator or grille, many carmakers are initially expected to retain this design element rather than overhaul car design completely. Nevertheless, the compactness of electric motors does increase flexibility in mechanical layout. Additionally, the weight-saving potential of EVs could result in dramatic improvements in aerodynamics, creating scope for vast innovation.