Emerging Technologies

Automobiles

Innovations in automobiles are typically concerned with fuel efficiency but may include other areas where the standard automobile is less than optimal. One such innovation that has been of great interest is the airless tire. Such nonpneumatic tires (NPT) would not be supported by air pressure. This type of tire has already been developed for some vehicles, such as riding lawn mowers, golf carts, and backhoes. Unfortunately, nonpneumatic tires typically provide less suspension and less heat dissipation; either of these features currently make nonpneumatic tires unusable for automobiles. The primary areas of research toward solving these problems focus on the development of new polymers that may be able to better absorb shocks and dissipate heat created by the friction of use.

Driverless cars have also been of interest to automotive innovators. Google has been the most recent corporation to take interest. Google recently won awards from the Department of Defense for its development of a particularly promising driverless car. Until recently, these innovations were somewhat irrelevant as U.S. laws forbade the use of driverless cars on American roads. However, laws passed since 2011 in multiple states allow for the use of driverless cars.

By far, the area of greatest interest within emerging automotive technologies is that of alternative fuel vehicles. These technologies are needed to prepare for the inevitability of peak oil, the point at which the rate of petroleum extraction reaches the maximum and after which the rate of production is expected to reach terminal decline. While the situation is dire, these technologies have been difficult to adopt due to industry resistance and the substantial infrastructure adjustments needed to adopt them. Denatured ethanol mixes have already been used in the United States to some success. The two most common blends are E15 and E85. E15 is made up of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline. The major advantage of this blend is that it can be used in any automobile made after 2001, and it is already widely available. E85 is made up of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. E85 can only be used in specially designed flex-fuel vehicles, but it is also widely available in the United States. Diesel has long been preferred over gasoline for its greater fuel efficiency; biodiesel, which is typically made from vegetable fat, has the added advantage of being derived from renewable resources. Electric automobiles are also of interest, as they allow for the use of energy as clean as is available on private or public energy grids. Other nonpetroleum fuels that have been explored include hydrogen fuel cells, steam, charcoal, ammonia, and dimethyl ether.

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