The future has always been a source of fascination and curiosity, a destination for what is still potential and could materialize. The evolution of the automobile was at the center of the futurist movement in the first half of the twentieth century and a century later the same theme remains at the center of the collective imagination. However, the exaltation is also accompanied by uncertainty for a sector whose fragility is well known and where at the same time it is difficult to identify a predominant solution. For this reason, if for some areas clear trends are identified when it comes to the architecture of the car of the future, for others tomorrow is more uncertain.
The first question mark hovering over the car of tomorrow is the type of propulsion. At present, the combustion engine appears to be strongly opposed by the European Union, which however at the same time has shown signs of openness towards alternative fuels. However, it should not be overlooked that the dominant share of the market resides outside the European borders, with the thermal that probably will continue to have an assured future especially in the less developed areas. Each of the solutions proposed for environmental protection also presents problems of an economic, infrastructural, social and energy nature, which is why it is increasingly complex to identify which will be the predominant technology. The most credible scenario is that of a technological mix, with a diversified offer to meet the economic and regulatory needs of the different markets, waiting to identify if and when a single solution will emerge. Where it will continue to exist, the combustion engine cannot go beyond coupling with a hybrid system. Electrification will lead to a constant downsizing of the engines, also in the logic of benefiting from the greater thermal efficiency deriving from the downsizing and from the smaller displacements, being able to count on the assistance of the hybrid. The scenario is that of easily adaptable engines at reduced costs to be fed with fuels of different kinds. Hydrogen could carve out a space on the market alongside alternative fuelsgeneric terminology used to refer to synthetic or biological petrols or a mixture thereof.
In the case of electric vehicles, batteries are also set for downsizing, possibly coupled with a revamp of internal chemistry. For the car to come, the most credible alternatives to the cells now widespread on the market are solid-state, lithium-sulfur and sodium-ion batteries. Thermal management will progress significantly and it would be surprising if direct cell cooling, currently already featured on some production models, does not become standard for every car. Instead, in the presence of fuel-cell electric vehicles, the initial trend will be that of hydrogen-electric hybrid systems, in which a traditional battery will support the fuel cell system, relegated to the role of range extender, to then make room for cars entirely hydrogen supported by small supercapacitor accumulators. Whether in the form of a heat engine or a fuel cell, the problem of hydrogen storage will arise for the hydrogen car of the future. The voluminous tanks will leave room for strategies of accumulation of hydrogen directly inside the supporting structuresimilarly to how batteries have gradually taken on a structural function.
Regardless of the primary energy source, the trend for the car of tomorrow will be to a distributed and decentralized architecture. The example of Brembo Sensify, an electromechanical braking system with actuators directly behind the calipers, is the mirror of an industry that aims at modularity, approaching the wheel units to have direct control of driving, braking, steering and damping power. In the case of electric propulsion, the direction is that of four motors integrated directly into the wheel units, or at most installed on the suspended platform, but in any case each dedicated to a single corner, outlining single driving modules including motor, transmission, inverter, brake unit and steering actuators. In fact, four-wheel steering, currently already present on top-of-the-range models, could become increasingly popular, with a view to better control of the vehicle in favor of safety. Similarly, the car of the future will have fully active suspensions, so that, combined with independent control of the wheels in traction, braking and steering, it is possible to implement all-round stability control strategies, as well as maximum energy efficiency.
The decentralization of tomorrow’s car architecture will inevitably lead to a proliferation of control units and control modules, with the specialization of each module for a precise task, interacting with the others according to a hierarchical scheme, receiving information and instructions and imparting them in turn. The software part is in fact the one destined to evolve to a greater extent, having to respond to the growing degree of complexity of the vehicle, the level of autonomy and communication with the surrounding infrastructure and vehicles. The last question mark concerns the aesthetics of the car to come and is probably the most difficult to answer. However, it seems increasingly likely the transition from a static design to an adaptive one, with the mobile aerodynamics intended to extend beyond just the airfoils at least on high-performance models. Shape memory materials could cover the bodywork in specific points, adapting aerodynamics based on speed with a view to saving energy. These predictions could be respected, or evolve over time. On the other hand, the beauty of playing with the future lies precisely in the constant possibility of being proven wrong.
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