There’s a rumble in the Automotive Industry. A survey of automotive industries stakeholders, conducted by Jabil, showed that automotive companies are shortening product development timelines to meet new market requirements. The automotive industry has undergone a number of industry-shifting developments over the past several years. The introduction of electric vehicles and the continued development of ADAS technologies are leading these transformations. We’ve seen new challengers in the automotive industry popping up, and rapid innovation within leading automotive companies.

I was reminded yesterday of how cars play a role in our identity, and separately how new auto safety regulations for electric and hybrid vehicles create an opportunity for auto manufacturers to be creative. I was picking up my 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid from a car stereo retailer in Austin, and while I waited, I glanced at the stacks of sub woofers waiting for owners. They ranged in price from $149 to over $1000. Admittedly, my family has installed high-end stereos with sub-woofers in cars ranging from a 1992 5.0 Mustang GT to a Toyota Sienna mini-van, however a low-rider in the showroom brought to mind low-decibel vibrations at intersections when, by chance, I was sitting at a red light alongside a low-rider. The car and the sub-woofer are an expression of the driver and their identity.

The automotive industry is working toward a revolutionary event, a truly autonomous vehicle—one in which a human driver is no longer required. To accomplish this, automotive companies have focused R&D teams, whose mission is evolving and growing onboard automated safety systems. Today onboard safety systems include features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes. For autonomous driving to become a reality, more dynamic safety systems are needed, for example collision detection/avoidance, and smart cruise control with vehicle-controlled lane changing.

Self-driving cars offer a safe, efficient and cost-effective solution that will dramatically redefine the future of human mobility.