Apple Might Not be Making Cars But Their Awesome New Tech Might be Onboard Your Favorites
With every year that passes, there are more and more murmurs about Apple expanding into different segments. Folks have talked about everything from Apple making sneakers all the way up to creating their own automobiles. In the short term, at least, we’re not sure that either of these is really going to come true. While we have heard lots of speculation about Apple making their own car, we think that it would be more realistic to find their new tech integrating into other cars.
Currently, systems like Apple CarPlay may act as an extension for someone’s mobile device. Essentially, it allows users to easily mirror their cell phones with their vehicles’ touchscreens and other systems. This is really just a baby step, though, as Apple has been thinking about much bigger projects.
Onboard Cameras Help Drivers Get The Best Deal
A recent article from AppleInsider pointed out a couple of patents filed on behalf of the company that could show new tech coming to cars soon.
The first that they mentioned is a patent filed on June 21, 2019. Essentially, the patent aims to make the use of onboard cameras for features that we may have never imagined. Essentially, the cameras mounted outside can be used to capture whatever the driver is interested in. Sure, it may be able to capture a moment while the vehicle is moving. However, it is also believed that the tech will be used to capture an object of interest and recommend where one could find that object.
Theoretically, the tech could be used to maybe capture a license plate in the event of a hit-and-run. However, it would probably be more frequently used as a means to locate where a user might find an object that they saw for sale. I could potentially even show the user where the best deal is. The article goes on to describe that the cameras could potentially be guided by the driver’s gaze or a passenger’s gestures.
If you can get over the sci-fi horror vibes of something like this, it actually sounds pretty cool!
Detecting Broken or Damaged Glass
In another patent mentioned by Appleinsider, apparently, Apple has also filed a patent in regards to keeping your vehicle’s glass in tip-top condition. With the use of internal cameras and a lighting system, the technology would be able to inform occupants of chips or cracks in the glass that could present a hazard. This isn’t quite as cool as the previously mentioned onboard personal assistant but is also something that we could see expanding into something noteworthy.
