The Ten Most Realistic Fictional Car Gadgets

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Many famous movie cars have featured gadgets and crazy-futuristic technologies that seemed beyond audiences’ wildest dreams. Now in today’s road cars, many of those technologies could be easily implemented — or have been already. 1, movies 0!


10.) Oil Slick

Rigging a car to dump a gallon or two of 5W-30 out the back at the push of a button? Too easy.

Suggested By: cazzyodo, Photo Credit: James Bond via 007james.com


9.) Car Phones

Today people can’t get away from their phones, they follow us everywhere! This of course means that tech like Bluetooth and such are necessary, and if a new car doesn’t have it or at least offer it, it gets shamed. Back in the early days of 007, this was merely fiction.

Advertisement

Suggested By: Stig-a-saw-us-wrecks, Photo Credit: Radio-Graffic Magazine via Paleofuture/Gizmodo

Advertisement

8.) Modular Cars

With thanks largely to the 1980s Nissan Pulsar, the good word has spread that this crazy idea is no longer in dream world. Go for coupe, go for cargo van, go for whatever. You’ll be set.

Advertisement

Suggested By: As Du Volant, Photo Credit: Patrick George/Jalopnik


7.) License Plate Flipper

Illegal, maybe. But that doesn’t make it unrealistic!

Suggested By: POD, Photo Credit: Jason Torchinsky/Jalopnik


6.) Hover Cars

If those magicians over at Lexus can figure out how to make a somewhat working hoverboard, how far off can they be from a hover-car? Oh wait, they already have one.

Advertisement

Suggested By: It’s pronounced “Deer-Tay” , Photo Credit: Youtube via Jalopnik


5.) Interacting & Talking Cars

For the moment, this technology is widely integrated yet limited mainly to voice recognition for radio navigation controls. Maybe when we get some cars like the Nissan Pivo on the market, I’ll finally be able to have my car as my best friend.

Advertisement

Suggested By: Justin Hughes, Photo Credit: Nissan


4.) Autonomous Cars

We live in a world where cars can almost drive themselves all thanks to some radar and GPS technologies. There might not be too many fully autonomous cars on the road right now, but just you wait.

Advertisement

Suggested By: theroadwarrior, Photo Credit: via Jalopnik


3.) Built In Jacks

Endurance racing pit stops of today would be a hell of a lot more annoying and time consuming without the built-in jacks that allow pit crews to effortlessly shoot their racecars to a raised service-height. Thanks, Speed Racer!

Advertisement

Suggested By: Green Pig, Photo Credit: Speed Racer


2.) Built In GPS

A live updating map showing your every move and offering directions to anywhere you want to go, right from the center of your dashboard? Pffffffft. What else is Hollywood going to come up with next?

Advertisement

Suggested By: SidewaysOnDirt, Photo Credit: Audi via Jalopnik


1.) Run-Flat/Self-Fixing Tires

With today’s run-flat technology becoming more and more common and other self-inflating tire technology being thoroughly tested, if you get a tire puncture in a modern road car, you just keep on going. Well, at least until you make it home.

Advertisement

Suggested By: 8695Beaters, Photo Credit: BMW

Welcome back to Answers of the Day - our daily Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day’s Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It’s by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!

Advertisement

Top Photo Credit: Volvo