If you take a look at the films produced in the 1960s or ’70s, as well as the 1980s the future was filled with automobiles, though not necessarily technologically advanced. Films such as “Back to the Future” inspired us to imagine flying cars that could time travel. At the time, a lot of these technology were in the realms of the imagination. What’s happening now? Do these vehicles exist? Or planned to be in the near future?
For those who recall “The Jetsons,” an animated TV show that followed George Jetson and his family The show presented American people what the next could as — which included the possibility of flying cars for travel. In 1962, flying cars appeared to be… it was it was a fanciful idea. However, car technology and innovations have accelerated in the 56 years after “The Jetsons” debuted.
Cars that fly are becoming the norm. There are several companieswhich include Aston Martin, Uber and Terrafugia — who are taking automobiles to the skies with different levels of success. Uber is seeking to use the sky to reduce congestion on the streets, and Terrafugia is working on an car-plane hybrid. But it’s likely to take a while before people can actually use these vehicles to travel to work and back.
Underwater Cars
Bond fans might be familiar with fans of the Lotus Esprit in “The Spy Who Loved Me.” It was a big help to James Bond, played by Roger Moore, in the 1977 film by assisting him in an automobile chase on land as well as in water. The film’s makers did make use of an actual Esprit and two in actual fact, in the film. One was an open road-ready Esprit and the other one was a submarine-ready. The submerged variant of the Esprit could not be driven, it nevertheless became an extremely sought-after collector’s item. A driver with one million dollars spare also known as Elon Musk thought it was a good idea. Could we put cars under water in the near future? Not quite.
There are only a handful of examples of amphibious automobiles. They include the Lane Motor Museum is one of the many places where drivers are able to experience amphibicars in person. There’s a Boathouse at Orlando is another location where people can take pleasure in amphibicars. Although these cars are fantastic but they’re made to keep drivers out of water, which is why we think that real underwater vehicles are likely to remain a myth… at least for the moment.
Self-Driving Race Cars
Herbie, the 1963 Volkswagen Beetle, was seen racing across the screen in the year 1968 in “The Love Bug.” Herbie had an independent mind He was able to drive himself and make a mess both on and off the track. He was able to make other Beetles into motors with a mind of their own also! It wasn’t artificial intelligence and LIDAR which gave Herbie his abilities but pure film magic.
In the past 50 years automobile manufacturers have utilized technology to transform Herbie into an actual real-life. Automakers, such as Ford and GM are collaborating with tech giants such as Google as well as Uber to create self-driving technologies. They’re employing LIDAR and machine learning to train automobiles to navigate the streets independently. According to experts the autonomous vehicles aren’t at Herbie levels yet. They’re able to perform certain tasks on their own, but need drivers vigilant in the event of something going wrong.
Talking Cars
in 1982 Knight Industries Two Thousand which was shortened to KITT was the sidekick of Michael Knight in the TV show “Knight Rider.” The 1982 Pontiac Firebird could not just operate its own vehicle, but it also used AI in order to talk with Knight. It even had its own personality.
Artificial Intelligence in automobiles is on the way towards becoming a fully-fledged technology. Drivers can currently converse with Alexa, Siri or Google when they’re driving (and for Alexa the car, she’ll continue to talk to you even after leaving the home). These apps can recognize natural commands, and programmers are working on giving the digital devices a sense humor, too.
Robot Cars
Transformers that began as kids’ toys, can transform everyday vehicles into massive robots. In 2007 Transformers received a new look thanks to Michael Bay’s Michael Bay film franchise. The most well-known Transformer has to be Bumblebee. The first time it was it was a Yellow Volkswagen Beetle, the Michael Bay films revamped Bumblebee into an Chevy Camaro. Sure, Transformers will always be a fictional story and not real, isn’t it?
Transformers exist in real. A group in Poland used a red cherry BMW 3 Series and transformed it into an fully functional robotic. More amazing is that the robot is able to go back to its car mode and continue to drive.
Alex has been with us from the start, providing readers with the latest news and comprehensive reviews. Her extensive knowledge of the automotive industry makes her an invaluable asset to the team.