Car customization and tuning have become an international trend that continues to expand, giving owners the opportunity to personalize their vehicle with unique designs while increasing performance.
Widebody kits add a bold, distinctive appearance, while carbon fiber components create a sophisticated and high-end aesthetic. Other popular modifications include ADAS features and integrated mobile app control.
Electric Vehicles
As electric vehicles (EVs) become more cost-effective, their appeal among previously priced-out consumers has increased significantly. Customization options like performance coilovers, fender flares and widebody kits have become popular additions.
Some drivers are customizing their EV’s software in order to increase power output and performance, though manufacturers generally discourage this practice. By understanding their vehicles well enough to do this, some have managed to achieve results significantly higher than what the factory-set levels suggest.
Though this change has yet to affect car sales directly, it will eventually alter profit pools and form new business models. For instance, electric vehicles (EVs) contain fewer mechanical parts that need replacement which may lead to lower service revenues for dealerships. Furthermore, their regenerative braking systems capture kinetic energy from movement into electricity to recharge their batteries, thus decreasing brake wear and maintenance costs; all factors which will have a profound effect on dealership operations yet the industry has plans in place for adapting.
Hybrid Vehicles
As focus shifts to reducing carbon footprints, hybrid vehicles have become increasingly attractive to fleet managers as an eco-friendly solution that reduces fuel costs while improving bottom lines and contributing positively to the environment.
Hybrid cars combine an electric motor and gasoline engine to power their vehicle while recapturing energy through regenerative braking. The electric motor generally does most of the work while the gas engine only kicks on when needed for additional power or acceleration.
There are different kinds of hybrid vehicles, each more advanced than the next. A “mild” hybrid can operate solely on electricity for short distances while full hybrids use both an electric motor to drive wheels as well as engine to increase performance and efficiency. Plug-in hybrids serve as an intermediary solution and can be recharged from an external electrical source such as home charging stations; some hybrids employ series/parallel design in which engine is often used as generator while others utilize conventional front wheel drive with electric rear axle.
Self-driving Cars
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) can be seen through self-driving cars. Many features originally intended for future autonomous vehicles, like blind-spot monitors and emergency braking assistance systems are already present on newer models.
Autonomous vehicles are seen as a potential game-changer for the automotive industry, offering dramatic cost savings to society and having less of an environmental footprint than conventional cars.
However, when self-driving cars will become mainstream remains uncertain. Given steep up-front costs for advanced autonomous systems such as L3 and L4, such as those produced by Daimler AG or Continental Automotive AG. OEMs and suppliers will likely first offer such systems on premium vehicle segments at first – which requires shifting business strategies accordingly. Furthermore, for many people owning an autonomous car may be prohibitively costly; as an alternative they could offer pay-as-you-go services for specific trips similar to ride hailing services currently used today.
Extensions
One of the easiest and most accessible ways to customize a car is through cosmetic upgrades. These modifications are easy to install, can dramatically transform its appearance, and overall aesthetic. LED headlights and tail lights can add aggressive lighting effects while customized windshield wipers add accent color and style. Furthermore, lightweight forged wheels have become increasingly popular because of both performance enhancements as well as their distinctive look.
At the same time, it’s important to remember that not all modifications are legal or may even cause damage. When it comes to making modifications on your car, always seek professional guidance when making any alterations – especially safety-sensitive parts such as the engine and airbags. Instead, focus on cosmetic upgrades which don’t compromise your safety – such as lowering it which could cause unbalanced suspension and thus lead to uneven tire wear or increased wear on other components of the car.