Luxury cars are known for their high-end features, comfort and performance. Being at the forefront of technology, luxury cars have a huge impact and influence on the car industry.
In this article we look at what is future for the next generation of luxury cars, and what it means for drivers and the motoring industry as a whole.
With climate change being a main priority of the motor industry, the recent Frankfurt Motor Show has reinforced where cars are heading, and that’s towards a greener future with the implementation of electric motoring.
Mercedes-Benz, have reimagined their well renowned model in large luxury vehicles, the S-Class, with an electric alternative - the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS.
Electric motors make far less noise than even the most refined petrol or diesel engine found in luxury vehicles. Rolls Royce vehicles are renowned for their almost quiet drive, meaning that an electric motor would be a great fit.
Battery capacity and driving range has been the sticking point until recently, where manufacturers can now offer a larger driving range of 300 miles on a single battery charge. The ability to increase that further, and the advancement in faster charging times, is being constantly developed
The Porsche Taycan, with a range of almost 300 miles, is complemented by charging times of around 10-15 minutes. A driver will likely need a break before the Taycan does. The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS, although a concept, has a range of 430 miles on a single charge.
Jaguar have confirmed that its XJ replacement will be all electric, and other luxury car manufacturers such as Rolls Royce, Bentley, and Aston Martin have all made indications about future electric luxury cars.
Advanced driver assist systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane assist and parking assist are already in place in a number of luxury cars. These however need the driver to constantly have their hands on the wheel. The next step in fully autonomous driving is fully driverless cars.
When driverless cars finally hit the market, you can expect them to start with luxury flagship vehicles. Companies such as Tesla are constantly publishing new tests and studies on driverless vehicles. Considering how difficult it is to make a car drive by itself, don’t expect fully autonomous cars any time soon.
A sticking point is laws on driverless cars. Should laws be changed to allow driverless cars on the road - either in general or in defined areas, then you can see a large rollout of flagship luxury models with this capabilities integrated.
Flagship models such as the Mercedes S-Class have long been pioneers and influencers in automotive technology. What appears in a new generation of luxury vehicles is often then found in the following generation or two of more conventional models. For example, if you want to find out what the next version of Ford’s Focus will offer, then look no further at the features on offer of the S-Class, Audi’s A8, and the BMW 7 Series.
Technology such as augmented reality heads up displays, gesture control, and voice commands are being fitted to the latest models of luxury cars. Constant improving technology means these become less of a gimmick and more of a luxury comfort as they are developed and perfected.
Luxury car manufacturers are taking into consideration the safety of having many information sources for the driver to look at and understand whilst driving. Easier to use controls and key information displayed in a driver’s line of sight via augmented heads up displays are trends that are coming through on current models of luxury vehicles.
