Top Vehicle Trends for 2016

Wherever you’re looking to import your car from, you can’t have missed how much technology is impacting the motor industry at the moment.

But the traditional faster-larger-stronger trends have been joined by moves throughout all vehicles to lower the costs of motoring, increase personalisation and push towards those hi-tech goals of self-driving cars and clean and efficient fuel consumption.

Plenty of motor companies have shown their hands when it comes to the future of motoring in 2016 – so here are just a few of the trends they’ve highlighted.

In-car apps

Volvo, VW, Vauxhall and Ford have all signed up for either or both of Apple and Google’s in-car iOS and Android systems so you can expect a host of vehicle-centric apps to hit the market over the next 12 months. Top of the list for many companies are the many lift-sharing apps which have sprung up around the globe – so you might soon be able to participate in lift-sharing by simply having your vehicle and your location plugged into the web.

Car-to-car communication

The “internet of things” has always paid especial attention to vehicles with chip technology and inbuilt SIM cards allowing for improvements around safety, tuning and mechanical servicing. But Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and BMW are all working towards having their vehicles “talk” to other vehicles so that – for example in the case of a breakdown – they can be made aware of potential road hazards.

More and more hybrids

VW has already been in the news after it was asked by the US Environmental Protection Agency to build more electric cars as recompense for its diesel emissions cheating, but 2016 will see more and more hybrid propulsion systems as manufacturers cotton on to environmental concerns and impact.

Take your hands off the wheel

Although top-end vehicles already boast technology which can find and fit into reverse parking spots and cruise control allows for stress-free stop-start and motorway driving, 2016 is likely to see models from the likes of Mercedes and BMW which will perform without a driver’s input. Parking will be done at the touch of a mobile phone and motorways negotiated hands-free.

Home-style tech moves into the car

Think gesture control dials and touchscreen technology for in-car entertainment systems, headlamps which sense oncoming traffic and dip accordingly, or personalised systems which allow you to control your home’s TV, heating or alarms while you’re driving.