With the pandemic gradually coming to an end, many sectors are expecting significant growth this year, including the automobile industry. Here are a few key automotive trends, which are going to dominate the automotive market this year.

Self-Driving Technology

Yes, self-driving cars are not only sci-fi fantasy anymore! As we move forward with technological advancements, newer wonders are being invented every day. A self-driving car does not need a human driver. Instead, it is operated by using sensory techs like sonar, lidar, or radar. It also uses intelligent odometry measurements in order to detect environmental changes, and maintain a safe speed, accordingly. There are 6 professional automation levels in cars, as per TWI Global. The higher the level, the more advanced the tech. Let’s see if the year 2022 can up the level of this incredible automotive tech.

Improved Safety Features

Improved technology calls for improved safety measures. With time, cars are also fitted with more advanced safety features in order to deliver utmost road safety. Adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, emergency braking systems, blind-spot detection, electronic stability control, etc. are a few of the top safety techs available. In 2022, potential customers will check their car safety thoroughly, beforehand. According to MotorTrend, the 2021 Mazda 3, Honda Insight, and Subaru Legacy are some of the safest cars on road.

Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication

The safety measures of your own car will fall short to anticipate the different actions of other drivers around you. While on-road, a tiny distraction can cause catastrophic damage to a car or even to a life! The advanced technology of vehicle-to-vehicle communication will allow the vehicles within close range to communicate among themselves and react accordingly, keeping the drivers safe. This means your car can change its function while needed, even without your input. This V2C tech works by exchanging messages on information like speed, location, and direction. Obviously, this tech is leading the expectation list of potential car drivers this year.

Peugeot Sport has recently announced one of the successful testing of the new model 9X8 HyperCar. The testing drive occurred at the Motorland Aragon. Though the team hasn’t come out with any official date of the cars’ debut yet, it has dismissed the speculation of starting as the 2022 FIA WEC season-opener at the Sebring, this March.

The Official Declaration

Jean-Marc Finot, the director of Stellantis Motorsport, has recently made an official statement by saying that, the Peugeot TotalEnergies team is not going to join the first round of the total six in the 2022 racing calendar, scheduled to kick off this March at Sebring, Florida. He also added that the 9X8 model is going to make its racing debut solely on the basis of its readiness, competitiveness, and reliability levels. The organizers of the championship are going to keep a tab of the development program of the model and deliver regular updates on the progression. Peugeot also confirmed that this new car model is testing without any rear wing, which is in its conceptual stage. The finalized version of the car will be submitted for homologation, after a series of continuing test programs.

The Features of the Model

Designed as per the Le Mans Hypercar ruleset of ACO, the 9X8 model features a powertrain, combining a rear-mounted 2.6-liter bi-turbo petrol V6. It delivers power over 680 hp or 500 kW. It also comes with all-wheel drive transmission and a front-mounted 200 kW motor-generator unit. Peugeot Sport, TotalEnergies, and its subsidiary Saft have jointly developed the high-density battery of the racing car. According to Olivier Jansonnie, the Technical Director of Peugeot Sport’s WEC program, the configuration of the 9X8 model is completely permitted by the ACO/FIA hypercar regulations. After homologation, the rudimentary design of the final 9X8 model will be sealed for the next 3 years, until 2025.