As described in the article "Modern Automotive Electronics" at Certifiedmastertech.com, when car manufacturers first incorporate a new technology in a vehicle, the ultimate test case is the automobile consumer. First passes at technologies often result in problems that require maintenance at consumer expense. Still, some anticipated developments show considerable promise. Two developments singled out by "Modern Automotive Electronics" are movable headlights, which illuminate twisting roads better than current headlights, and intelligent cruise control, which is sensitive to approaching cars ahead of the car with this cruise control on board.
According to the "Modern Automotive Electronics," electronics control approximately 75 percent of the modern automobile's functioning. These electronics operate to control such systems as anti-lock brakes, transmission function, fuel flow to achieve lower fuel consumption in conjunction with better performance and tailpipe emissions among others. Advantages to increased levels of automotive electronics include rapid system monitoring, and the lightweight nature of electronic components, which again leads to increased mileage without correspondingly diminishing overall vehicular performance.
Navigation tools are another commonplace category of automotive technology. A number of different types of navigation aids have appeared on the market: some built-in by manufacturers; others the consumer can purchase separately. This technology involves the use of computerized maps, which either display on a screen, use audio to give voice directions or both. Some systems also incorporate Global Positioning System technology, which allows pinpointing locations through use of satellite signals. A navigation system may involve both on-board technology and use of a service staffed by real people, such as the OnStar system in some General Motors vehicles.
Continually evolving automotive technological development has drawbacks as well as advantages. In terms of manufacture and maintenance, a high level of complexity results in certain challenges. Rapid technological changes result in challenges for designers to come up with continual innovations. For the manufacturer, increasing complexity provides both a design challenge and a cost-of-production challenge. The rapid increase in innovation also results in a need for service personnel to pursue continual skills updating. Operators may find controls for complex technologies confusing. All these aspects of rapidly changing technology present drawbacks.
From the perspective of the vehicle owner/operator, you find another set of drawbacks related to the overload of modern technologies incorporated into vehicles. Such technologies as navigation aids can, in some circumstances, provide significant assistance to the driver. In other circumstances, however, on-board navigation systems can contribute to driver distraction and increase risk of getting into a serious accident as described in PopularMechanics.com. Navigation systems are just one example: some modern cars with complex technological innovations incorporate an array of distracting features leading to compromised attention while driving and engendering a serious safety hazard.
