It's amazing how close (and yet so far!) we are to so much amazing tech.
10.) Universal Phone Mount
Automakers, want to know how to make an #infotainment system those elusive #millennials will like? Get rid of whatever you have, replace it with a universal smartphone mount, a USB and/or an aux jack, and wifi capability.
It's that simple.
Suggested By: vc-10, Photo Credit: Smart
9.) Self-Tinting Windows
Self-tinting windows would be brilliant for protecting the stuff inside your car, without making you look like a drug kingpin. Mercedes sort of does this with their Magic Sky Control roof, but I think there's a much more practical application for the technology that hasn't been made yet.
Suggested By: My X-type is too a real Jaguar, Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz
8.) Flashing Brake Lights With ABS
So simple, but I think this could be highly effective. I'm sure there'd be concerns with trying to discern this with a driver being on and off the brakes, but maybe only the CHMSL could be the one flashing.
It'd almost be too easy to put into cars.
Suggested By: unhcampus, Photo Credit: Ferrari
7.) Facial Recognition
Wouldn't it be great if your car automatically pulled up your preferences whenever you stepped in? Buttons just take so much damn effort sometimes, right?
This could also be an interesting safety feature, with the car only able to be driven by recognized faces.
Suggested By: auxnbus, Photo Credit: Ford
6.) GPS-Enhanced Cruise Control
BMW developed a system that can use GPS information to tell the transmission what gear it should be in, but I think there's a huge opportunity for GPS enhanced car tech.
Cruise control would be be great because the car would know when to apply throttle/braking, making for a smoother ride.
Suggested By: Maxzillian, Photo Credit: Pete
5.) Projected Driving Line
This would bring the best of the video game world to the real world. Jaguar has developed a concept of a system that does this, but it doesn't look like it's going to hit the market anytime soon.
That needs to change. We, the enthusiasts, demand it.
Suggested By: Nicholas, Photo Credit: Jaguar
4.) Turbines To Charge Batteries
One of the coolest things about Jaguar's (sadly) cancelled C-X75 concept car was that it used turbines to charge the batteries, which was genius because turbines are small and can be powered by virtually anything.
Mazda and Audi are looking to do a similar thing by using a Wankel engine to be a range extender. So yeah, rotary hybrid: that's something we can get behind.
Suggested By: Crossdrilled, Photo Credit: Jaguar
3.) Thermal Energy Recovery
Cars generate a lot of heat, but all of that is wasted energy. With exhaust heat recovery tech – like the stuff they use in F1 – cars could be so much more efficient and better performing.
Suggested By: Stupidru, Photo Credit: Renault Sport
2.) Vehicle-To-Vehicle Communication
V2V communication is one of the most innovative safety initiatives in the car world right now. The potential for cars to be able to "talk" amongst each other and to surrounding infrastructure could have great implications for vehicle safety.
Let's just hope idiots don't ruin it.
Suggested By: H Pattern Baldness, Photo Credit: via Jalopnik
1.) Replace The Check Engine Light With Real Warnings
I've said it before, but I'll say it again: why the hell do we need an OBDII scanner to figure out what the hell is wrong with our cars cars have infotainment screens?
It simply doesn't make sense.
Suggested By: Cligedy, Photo Credit: Universal Pictures
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!
Top Photo Credit: Jaguar
Contact the author at chris@jalopnik.com.