The Latest Auto Technologies Aim to Make Drivers Think Differently

While we may not do our daily commuting behind the wheel of flying cars ala The Jetsons, modern automobiles are still pretty impressive feats of technology that in many ways exceed our predecessors’ most forward-looking expectations. While custom paint jobs and exterior mods allowed you to personalize your car in years past, the latest vehicles coming off the assembly line can actually “learn” your personality and tastes, taking customization to a whole new level.

Take, for instance, the latest news that manufacturers are linking up with facial recognition developers to integrate an emotion register into the cars of tomorrow that allows the vehicle to judge the driver’s state of mind – and ability to control the vehicle. This is just one of many examples of new technology that doesn’t necessarily take control away from the driver, but forces them to think differently about what driving actually entails.

Part in parcel with this is the fact that drivers who grew up thinking that learning how to handle a stick shift was the most complicated road block to mastering a set of wheels will now need to get acquainted with a whole catalogue of new technologies that may seem overwhelming on the outset.

This is especially true when it comes to many of the latest “infotainment” features coming online in the years to come.  Manufacturers are now designing cars to become extensions of the driver’s homes, delivering the same access to content that users enjoy during their downtime – movies or music downloaded to their computers, online books and magazine subscriptions – when they’re traveling from A to B.

Google, for instance, just recently announced they’d be partnering with Audi and Volvo to deliver its “Android Automotive” in-car infotainment system, which will allow drivers to utilize the programs they already use on their smartphones and tablets via their dashboard. Honda is even taking the content experience a step further by giving their latest Ridgeline pick-up a truck-bed speaker that effectively turns the whole vehicle into a tailgate-ready boom box. The layout even enables a flat screen TV to be fitted into the rear of the car on game day, not to mention weatherproofing to prevent speaker damage even during rainy pregame rituals.

All of this technology hinges on access to connectivity, as well as the user’s personal content, in order to deliver the most value to customers. And for drivers who may be slow on the uptake, an all-in-one accessory like LINK is the perfect companion to securely taking your content wherever you go, thanks to 2 TB of storage, and to leverage connectivity via its WiFi capabilities to share and enjoy the content in nearly any setting.

Dealers and manufacturers can suggest LINK to customers who are overwhelmed with learning a wealth of new technologies and would rather an individual companion in the palm of their hand that centralizes their content in a single, safe device. This way users can enjoy their content on the road then take it with them once they reach their destination.