Wednesday June 1, 2022 at 7:19pm
In recent years, the landscape for electric vehicles has changed dramatically, with them now being a standard part of reality, instead of the topic of dreams. New automotive experiences are making their way onto the streets, enabled by swift technological advances in areas such as virtualisation and autonomous driving. Meanwhile, regulatory trends are bringing forward the timeline on electrification for many manufacturers making it increasingly difficult for supply to meet the demand, particularly as consumer demands shift towards greater sustainability.
What are the stakes for electric vehicle development, and how can we expect technologies to shape the market for Electric Vehicle innovators in the next few years?
Here are the top trends we believe are going to drive the electric vehicle industry forwards. For more information about some of the key trends and what they mean for startups, R&D and OEMs in the EV market, you can download the full Dassault Systèmes report at the bottom of this page.
Virtualisation
Virtualisation strategies have been a critical driver of automotive innovation. Delivering significant cost savings when it comes to product development as well as greater sustainability, through slashing the materials consumed in prototyping. OEMs are using virtual twins to test multiple designs and features, “ eliminating many aspects of prototype testing at part and vehicle level,” according to a new Accenture report in partnership with Dassault Systèmes. A virtual twin can be leveraged to accelerate the development of the whole vehicle concept, in the detailed design and design verification stages, to reduce physical testing and to simplify change management.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are a critical innovation in the development of next-generation automated driving technologies. They offer an extra layer of safety and convenience while driving and they are an important step toward fully autonomous vehicles.
Radar, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), vehicle-to-vehicle communication, internet connectivity, smart road infrastructure and satellite navigation all help ADAS to be aware of their surroundings, and all these systems rely on antennas and sensors.
Solutions to Electric Vehicle Range Anxiety
Range anxiety has been a consumer concern since the advent of PEVs. However, manufacturers are now finding new solutions to tackle worries about range — with the construction of new charging stations, as well as with innovations in technology and business.
EV manufacturer NIO, for instance, is working on building more charging stations and mobile battery charging vehicles, according to vice-president of power management Shen Fei. All of its current models are offered with a “battery-as-a-service” plan where customers purchase and own the car while leasing the battery, allowing them to keep batteries up-to-date as the technology improves.
Another approach to range anxiety is a car that carries its energy collection source with it. Dutch startup Lightyear is designing long-range solar electric vehicles that are grid independent and capable of driving anywhere.
We’re almost certain to see further experimentations and start-ups rising with new ways of addressing the issue of range anxiety.
Read the Full Report