The year 2003 was an auspicious one for the automobile industry, not the least because it jarred the American manufacturers out of their size-conquers-all strategy. Now that it no longer owns the large truck and SUV market (a phenomenon that is costing the companies market share and threatening to make Toyota the largest carmaker), Detroit is being forced to start paying attention to sedans and smaller cars again.
But that’s just one trend. Here are a few more, some of which augur well for a revitalized industry in the coming years:
Telematics. Automotive electronics, called "telematics" by an industry eager to capitalize on it, is projected as a $7.2-billion business by 2005. "Visualize a car equipped with a wireless voice and data communications system that combines features such as automatic airbag deployment notification, vehicle tracking, real-time traffic data, emergency aid and entertainment in a central service center," says the marketing company Frost & Sullivan.
Adaptive cruise control is a radar-based system that not only keeps cars from hitting each other but also takes over management of the gas pedal. You say you’ve already got cruise control, like 80 percent of the other cars on the road? Forget about it. That’s dumb technology. The new generation thinks.
Other useful electronic applications in the car include satellite radio, from XM and Sirius, which is taking on the traditional broadcasters with what you might call narrowcasting. It’s intelligent programming (classic jazz, say, or Delta blues) that may have a relatively small audience, but when spread across 200 channels reaches quite a number of people willing to pay for the privilege. Car DVD players are also likely to take off, especially because they keep the kids happy on long trips.
Crossovers. Faced with a public that loves the idea of SUVs but hates the reality of rough rides and bad handling, the industry is putting station wagon/SUV crossbred bodies on more sophisticated car chassis. One of my favorites is the Suzuki Aerio SX, which offers four-wheel drive (if you must) and great utility at a reasonable price ($14,999). With the 155-horsepower, 2.3-liter four and four-wheel drive, it still manages to get 24 miles per gallon in the city, 29 on the highway.
Global positioning. I’m seeing this technology on more and more cars, but I’m still not convinced it’s the most useful and cost-effective option. Programming these units remains tedious and time-consuming, and it’s seldom easier than just consulting a map. Computer-chosen routes are often the long way around. And I also find the on-screen displays distracting.
PZEV technology. The Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV), a product of California clean car rules, is powered by a gasoline engine, but by some measures the emissions from its tailpipe are cleaner than the ambient air.
The PZEV may look just like a Toyota Camry, Ford Focus or Nissan Sentra, but it adds an environmental edge. PZEVs control exhaust gases with sophisticated engine controls and advanced catalytic converters.
To qualify as a PZEV, the cars must meet the very stringent exhaust standards, and reduce evaporative emissions (the gasoline vapors that escape from the fuel system before they reach the engine) to near-zero levels. In addition to California, PZEVs are offered for sale in states that follow its rules, including New York, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont.
