Looking ahead to 2021: what's coming in the motoring world?

Predictions for the motoring industry tend to centre around AI cars taking over the world – with us mere mortals plugged into the seats, at the mercy of decisions made in a server on Mars.

Well, it’ll likely be quite some time before that happens. So, looking a little closer to home, what’s in store for 2021 when it comes to the world of cars? Let’s find out.

More Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles show no sign of slowing down. One of the largest strides made so far has been the increase in distance for a full charge. The Porsche Taycan, billed for 2021, will be able to travel 281 miles on a single charge. The BMW i4 is projected to have a 373-mile range!

It’s a far shot behind the more recent Ford Focus’ range of 1158 miles on a tank (that’s Brighton to Aberdeen and back!) but is still an impressive step. After all, most people aren’t going to be taking trips that span the length of Britain very often.

More AI

Even without cars moving to all-electric, we are seeing a significant increase in electric frills - such as fully-integrated car infotainment systems and self-driving aspects. Drivers who are used to manual driving will likely have to adjust to self-driving aspects, but it’s a trend that’s not showing signs of budging any time soon.

Things such as lane assist and self-driving cars can be disconcerting, but are also set to make roads significantly safer and more effective.

This is set to expand further with the roll out of 5G. Increased connectivity and speed means that car AI could be able to do complex calculations without having to have large, powerful processors on board.

More SUVs

The SUV market has only continued to grow, and 2021 will see an intensification of the electric SUV competition between Audi and Tesla - as Audi’s Q4 e-tron comes up against the Tesla Model Y. Which side are you taking? Whoever you’re backing, it’s sure to be interesting to observe.

More emissions?

The price point of new, hybridised SUVs is getting to the point where customers in the market for new cars are potentially more likely to buy a diesel or petrol alternative at a lower price point.

We’ll have to wait to see exactly how people respond, but hybrid and all-electric vehicles in general still seem to be set as the future of transport – especially considering a UK plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

Unpredictability

If this year’s taught us anything, it’s that we can’t rely on predictions alone when planning. One thing that’s for sure is that we’ll continue to be surprised by what car manufacturers have in store.

Do you have any trends you’re excited to see play out next year? Let us know!