Lifestyle

Space Tech in Modern Cars

Tech in Modern Cars That Started in Space Programmes

Stepping into modern new cars can feel like taking a step into a scene from a science fiction film with all its high-tech features. You might be surprised to learn where this technology originates from and even more stunned that some of it have its roots in NASA space programmes. Here at Jardines, we’ve gone through some of the most common modern techs in new and used cars to bring you a list of features adapted from rockets to your driver’s seat.

GPS and Satellite Navigation Systems

GPS and sat nav systems have been part of everyday driving since 2004 when TomTom released the first available system for consumer markets with the TomTom GO. Since then, smartphones and car consoles like Mini Convertibles have integrated GPS into their systems, so you know where you are and where you’re going.

But did you know that this technology was conceptualised by the United States Department of Defence in 1973? Originally, it used 11 satellites in orbit to detect and monitor American military personnel and technology all over the world. In 2000, then US President Bill Clinton made the decision to have satellite signals unscrambled to help the development of commercially available GPS.

Car seats made more comfortable

Spending a long time in the car can sometimes leave you feeling sore, but not as sore as you’d feel had NASA and Nissan not worked together to develop a more comfortable chair to sit in. Researching their astronauts’ body shapes when sitting in zero gravity led to the car manufacturer developing seats in line with the findings. The aim was to support 14 pressure points to reduce stress and encourage muscle relief.

Future car technology

Self-driving cars

We could see autonomous driving becoming a recognisable part of daily life in the UK. Including driverless vehicles could help people with additional needs, such as those with disabilities, get to appointments or wherever they need to go. A piece of space technology that could assist this development is named Seamless Autonomous Mobility (SAM) which is used on the Mars Rover to allow it to direct its own travel across the face of Mars. With more fine-tuning, this could be a game-changing technology for future cars.

Battery health monitoring for electric vehicles

Electric cars are fast becoming a part of the driving culture in the UK, especially with government plans to scrap the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. At Jardines, we have a range of new electric vehicles to choose from, but one thing we’re excited about is the prospect of monitoring the health of your rechargeable battery. Lithium-ion batteries can fade over time, and their capacity can reduce, so using this NASA tech to monitor could help predict when your car needs a service.

With how quickly technology is continuing to evolve and becoming a part of modern driving, who knows what the following developments could be? What we know here at Jardines is that regardless of what the future of tech holds, we’ll be here to provide you with new cars from a range of popular manufacturers with all the latest included. Explore some of our options today or check out your local dealership.

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