Technology has always made changes to the auto industry over the years, but it seems like those changes are now coming at a rapid pace that’s hard to keep up with. From steam cars to electric cars and safety belts to autonomous braking, every change is destined to make the car safer and more efficient.
Even cars that are 10 years old still have high-tech features like adaptive steering, lane detection, and smartphone integration. If you don’t want to pay the price of a new car with the most current technologies, then search for wrecked cars online and pick up a newer model for less money than you’d pay for it as a new car.
Higher Prices
It’s no surprise that one of the car trends to watch for in 2023 is higher prices. Industry leaders had hoped that prices would start to decline as the COVID-19 problems such as the chip shortage eased up, but that hasn’t been the case.
Many of the newer prices are much higher than anticipated. Although manufacturers have used the cost of material increases as an excuse to raise prices, that may not be accurate as those prices start to decline.
Regardless of the reasons, the prices of new cars will continue to climb, and that puts many new cars out of reach for average car buyers.
Ride Sharing
Whether it’s the price of new cars, the price of gas, increasing APR, or the job market and economy, there will be an increase in ride-sharing. There will be a bigger market for those who drive for Uber and Lyft, and there will be businesses coming up with innovative ways for people to share cars, like fractional car ownership.
Ford Motor Company is experimenting with a program where a leased car may have from three to six co-owners. The difference between this and co-ownership is that these are unrelated individuals in a lease agreement as opposed to a married couple co-owning a car.
EV Ownership
For those who are still buying cars, there will be many more makes and models joining the EV revolution. The Chevy Blazer is coming out with an EV model, and Jeep is making an all-electric model. With improvements in range and charging station expansions, more people will start considering an EV model.
Some manufacturers are starting to drop some of their less efficient models, so there may be fewer V8s on the road in the coming years.
Larger Infotainment Centers
Technology dominates the infotainment centers on newer cars, and even the base models usually come with a 12-inch screen. As those screens get bigger, they need more room, which means that some of the knobs and buttons are going to be put aside.
Radios might start losing their tuner and volume buttons, so look for fewer physical controls and more digital controls.
Autonomous Driving Advances
While there is still a long way to go before cars can drive themselves, the advances by some of the manufacturers make it appear that it will be sooner than you think before a car drives past you with no driver. A few brands are working towards making self-driving safer and easier to use.
Autonomous vehicles may be a long way off, but the technology is making tremendous advances toward that goal.
Increased Online Sales
The way people have been buying cars has changed over the years, and the Internet is primarily responsible for opening up a new market for both buyers and sellers. Many people do their research online before ever setting foot in a dealership, and in some cases, they buy the car directly online and have it shipped straight to their door.
While foot traffic may be down in the dealerships, repair, and maintenance will always be needed, so dealerships would do well to have a user-friendly website.
Subscription Based Services
A few Highline manufacturers have experimented with subscription-based services for their vehicles. BMW has a heated seat subscription service; GM has a subscription service for its advanced driver-assist programs; and some smartphone apps from Toyota and Lexus all cost money to use.
As manufacturers try out new technology and experiment with charging for it, remember that many of the most high-tech safety features in today’s cars were costly extras when they first came out, so this trend may be short-lived.
Vehicle Connections
With technology at the forefront of this trend, you’ll see more options to connect your car with other cars, devices, and the outside environment through wireless technology. You’re probably already familiar with the map function on your smartphone that you can use to find local restaurants, coffee shops, and anything else you need by clicking a button.
Your car may also be able to send vehicle health reports to your phone or your dealership, and it may be able to give you information that will help you avoid a breakdown. By reading your car’s computer, your car can send in data that can diagnose a problem before it happens.
Wrapping it Up:
While many of these trends are welcome, some will pose challenges for those in the market for a new car. Like all trends, they are indications of changes in the industry that you can use to inform your car buying decision.
