Technology Advancements over the Last Two Decades

Interview: Abdulwahed AlJanahi, Chief Executive, Benefit

When one thinks of futuristic technology, one may envision flying cars, mindcontrolled assistants, automated systems, and zero-gravity societies. “It’s not that we use technology; we live technology,” Godfrey Reggio correctly stated.

It’s incredible how swiftly humans have evolved and, in turn, helped technology advance to make our lives easier. Only time will tell whether it is a boon or a bane.

Among the magnificent breakthroughs that no one could have believed would be feasible, a few are described in this article:

Autonomous Cars

With its prototype for various models, Tesla Autopilot has created quite a stir. Autonomous vehicles (AV), often known as self-driving or driverless cars, are futuristic technologies that require little to no human input when moving or driving – revolutionising transportation as we know it. They’ve become one of the most popular topics for scholars and students to study over the years.

Smartphones and Tablets

Despite the fact that cellphones have been around since the 1970s, the revolutionary iPhone was released in 2007. Since then, several smartphones have been released, each one becoming more advanced than the last. We now have foldable touchscreen smartphones that resemble the first flip phones.

A fusion of a phone and a laptop with some restraint — tablets and iPads had also become widely popular in the 2010s. These versatile portable devices are highly functional and easier to carry around compared to laptops, thus making them convenient and useful during meetings and travel.

The Internet

The internet is our new go-to spot for any and every need we have in our daily lives. Everything has steadily moved online and digital, from finding information, to connecting with people across the world in an instant. It has removed all communication barriers and drastically transformed and revolutionalised the way we live, learn, and connect to the world around us.

E-Wallets and E-Commerce

In the recent years, we have witnessed the growth of the digital economy with the rise in e-commerce. Buying and selling online has never been easier. Nowadays, anything we require is really just a few taps away and delivered to our doorstep. In fact, cashless transactions has become the new norm. The shift from liquid cash to digital money has particularly risen since the pandemic and e-wallet usage has skyrocketed.

5G Network

The fourth-generation (4G) network was introduced in 2010 and has proven to be quite popular among consumers who require high-definition services.

The fifth-generation is claimed to be the world’s fastest wireless technology. It will open up a whole new world with super-fast data and practically zero latency at reasonable pricing.

Humans continue to test the limits of affluence on a regular basis. There are many untapped potentials in the universe waiting to be discovered, and it is up to us to invent and reinvent them.

AI Assistants and Smart Homes

Alexa, dim the lights and play relaxing music. Siri, call mom. Cortana, set an alarm for 7 am.

According to a study by Larrichia F. published in Statsta, the number of digital voice assistants or virtual/intelligent assistants will reach 8.4 billion units by 2024 – a number higher than the world’s population.

We have grown so reliant on AI assistants that we cannot conceive how smooth our lives would be without them.

Several houses have made the switch to a smart home arrangement, in which all electronics and appliances are controlled remotely via the internet from any networked device. There have been numerous interfaces between virtual assistants and smart home network connections. This system may be used to lock doors, turn off lights, raise the temperature, and so on.

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First steam powered automobile

HIGHWAY TO THE FUTURE

Major Developments in the Automotive Industry

The automotive industry has proven to be a boon when it comes to accessible and easier transportation. As with the advancement of technology, major developments are unearthed in this sector.

Automobile development started in 1672 with the invention of the first steam-powered vehicle. This led to the creation of the first steampowered automobile capable of human transportation in 1769.

Today, cars are armed with stateof-the-art technology such as Artificial Intelligence, voice recognition, an automatic gear system, Bluetooth connections etc. Instead of needing fossil fuels to power the vehicle, more eco-friendly ways have popped up, namely the mass production of electric vehicles powered by batteries in recent times.

We are seeing a surge in developments to ease the process for customers when it comes to this particular sector. A few are developments would be:

Digitised vehicle purchasing

To drive home a more customercentric and customer friendly approach, a digital transformation can be observed where every customer touchpoint is made available online for them to consider. With technologies such as VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality), the online shopping experience becomes more complete as the customer can comfortably take a look at all the parameters of the vehicle they seek to purchase.

Companies like Tesla, Rolls-Royce, and Porsche are allowing their customers to customise the car they are purchasing according to their taste before they place the order.

Electric vehicles

World automobile makers will compete to dominate the market for new-generation electric cars by the end of this decade, driven by the environmental demand for zero carbon emissions.

More than 10 million electric cars were on the world’s roads in 2020 with battery-electric models driving the expansion. Notably, electric cars are gradually becoming more competitive in some countries on a total cost of ownership basis.

More than 10 million electric cars were on the world’s roads in 2020

with battery-electric models driving the expansion.

Scrappage policy

A policy that seeks to phase out old vehicles with the aim of reducing vehicular pollution and improving road safety and efficiency. This leads to the customers being more mindful of the car packages and plans they are now being offered, while for companies, it’s a golden opportunity to offer new incentives and make their offers more enticing.

Increased vehicle connectivity

It’s 2030. You are driving to work, on a bright morning sipping on your coffee. The smart tint shields you from the sun’s glare. You are watching the news and catching up with your social media messages. All cars around you are autonomous and it is a smooth trafficless drive.

Now, doesn’t that sound peaceful and hassle-free? This is a probable future given the increasing rate of vehicle connectivity.

The vehicle connectivity market is growing by releasing successful models with factory-fitted features that allow internet access and data sharing with external devices, a trend that users are flocking to because it provides more convenience and a more modern outlook.

While we have come a long way from needing carriages for transportation, the automotive industry doesn’t seem to be on the verge of dying anytime soon. Constant innovations are improving the efficiency of vehicles which now serve multiple usages besides plain transportation, offering comfort and relaxation too. With eco-friendly vehicles becoming more commonplace, recent developments spell a bright future for the automotive industry.