Somebody once said, “The cars we drive say a lot about us.” From a consumer perspective, this couldn’t be truer. Some drivers like classics while others prefer sports cars, luxury vehicles, minivans, and everything in between. Just like a phone is an extension of your hand, a car is an extension of your personality and lifestyle.
With that said, let us look into four current trends shaping the private car industry.
Detailing and Customization
Aside from looking the same, identical twins share their DNA code. The reason for this is that they came from the same egg. Still, when it comes to personality, they are not 100% equal. While one twin might be a bit less outgoing and more introverted, the other could be more sociable and friendly.
The same goes for cars. Two cars can be the same brand, the same model, and even the same color. Yet, it cannot be said that any two vehicles are mirror images of each other. It is especially true now, a time in which detailing and customization have become much more prevalent than ever before.
Two people could own a luxury vehicle such as a Lamborghini or Porsche. But only one of them could choose to leave it as is. The other would probably look into an Auto Armor paint protection film, ceramic coating, spoiler additions, and tinted windows. Never mind what is inside the hood and cannot be seen at first glance.
Energy Efficiency
Pretty much everyone is familiar with an electric car. Instead of running on an oil-based fuel or natural gas, it functions with electricity. As such, like a telephone or computer, it can be recharged over and over again.
Many might not be aware of the tremendous growth that electric cars and other energy-efficiency vehicles have experienced in the past few years. According to studies, there was a mind-blowing 65% increase in electric vehicles’ sales from 2017 to 2018. This number also became larger in 2019 and was expected to rise even higher in 2020 had not been for the covid-19 global pandemic.
Clearly, the energy-efficient car trend is here to stay. An example of this is how it is not only medium-end car manufacturing companies investing in these technologies. Luxury brands like BMW, Jaguar, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz have also taken note of and are using exorbitant amounts of money themselves to produce electric and hybrid cars.
Technology and Integration
Around the year 2003, the first Bluetooth devices revolutionized both the communication and car industries. Until then, people had to either hide from the police while speaking on the phone while driving or give up talking with friends, coworkers, and family all together. It seems like ages ago when hands-free, mobile communication gadgets didn’t exist.
Today, things have drastically changed. Technology and integration in private vehicles are not only about talking on the phone or using a GPS to provide you with the best possible way to reach your destination. It is much more than that. It includes autonomous technology permitting vehicles to drive themselves and higher levels of user interaction.
Apart from simple things like cruise control and vehicle temperature, advanced computers allow drivers to control exhaust emissions, air levels in tires, and even devices at home.
Global Representation
In the past, there used to be three countries known the world over for their manufacturing of private and public vehicles. These were the United States, Germany, and Japan. As long as the car you purchased came from General Motors or Ford in America, Toyota and Nissan in Japan, or BMW and Mercedes-Benz in Germany, you knew it was a quality vehicle.
A quarter into the 21st century, things couldn’t be more different. Even if these three nations are still famous for their car production, many others have joined in on the fray. They include China, India, and smaller European nations like Spain and the Czech Republic.
This is a sign of several things. For one, national production capabilities are much more competitive and balanced than ever before. In terms of technology, Korean companies like Daewoo and Hyundai have very little to envy their Japanese counterparts. As for market size, nobody can rival the sheer population size of places like India and China.
At present, a car is a car, regardless of where it is made. What’s important is not the brand name or the country but rather other issues like price, convenience, and durability.
Four trends in the private car industry are detailing and customization, energy efficiency, the continuous integration of technology, and a diverse global representation. They continue to define the way individual consumers buy and maintain their vehicles.
