(goofy music)
- When you go to your local mechanic,
you probably expect to see a number of things.
A lift, spare parts,
and tools like wrenches or drills, etc.
Well, a lot of that stuff will stay the same.
There are some new additions coming
to your local garage,
and they're proving that the future of car repair
is getting a little less greasy, and a bit more geeky.
The Raspberry Pi costs about $35.
It was designed to teach kids how to program.
Pretty neat, right?
It's cheap and versatile, and there are tons of ways
to use a tiny, custom computer in a car.
For example, tracking diagnostic data
and performance statistics
for more efficient DIY repairs and upgrades.
Hooking up a computer to run a car's diagnostics
is not a new idea.
Back in the good old days, people did it with laptops.
When your car becomes a WiFi hotspot, everything changes.
Wireless software updates can correct running problems,
improve fuel mileage, and address other performance
or safety issues.
Tesla Motors made waves with its Model S electric car,
which can be updated wirelessly from home,
similar to the way you'd update a smartphone
or a computer, and so far,
it seems to be working pretty well.
Security, of course, is also a concern,
because anything that is wireless has the potential
to be hacked or tampered with,
and it's no secret that the big, mainstream auto makers
aren't willing to take as many risks as Tesla,
but if this wireless communication proves to be reliable,
then, in the future, it may become a lot more common.
New cars feature complicated electronic
or hybrid drive trains,
increasingly detailed computerized components,
and a labyrinth of sensors.
It can be tricky, or even dangerous,
to work on some of these systems.
So soon, auto technicians might sport headsets
that guide mechanics
through these visually enhanced displays in an app
that can help the technician visualize areas
that are out of reach or out of view.
Volkswagon was among the first manufacturers
to float this idea, and they introduced an interface
called MARTA, which stands for
Mobile Augmented Reality Technical Assistance,
not the train system.
And they made this for the upcoming VW XL1.
3D printing uses computers
and other computerized components to recreate
an existing object, or to create an all new, custom object
of the user's design.
This could be especially useful to repair older cars
with hard to find or nonexistent parts supply.
You take out the thing that broke, you scan it,
and then boom!
Your creepy future computer spits out this new thing.
Though classic car enthusiast Jay Leno
talked about using these techniques back in 2009,
let's be honest.
It's still out of reach for most people.
Most high quality 3D printing systems
are still incredibly expensive,
and they're large, and they're tricky to use.
So, while car manufacturers can use this technology
to create prototype parts,
and while insurance companies may one day
recreate entire classic cars,
average consumers are still gonna have to wait a while
until reliable systems are affordable,
and affordable systems are reliable.
Making toys with a 3D printer, that's one thing,
but the stakes are a bit higher if you're printing
a set of brake calipers.
And this is just the beginning.
As these technologies progress,
we will see more efficient, ubiquitous systems
fundamentally changing the way mechanics work.
And I'm interested, what do you think?
Should cars be increasingly plugged into
this cloud somewhere?
What are the advantages?
What are the pros and cons?
What is your next car gonna be?
A rolling computer?
Let me know in the comments.
And for more information, check out our article
"5 Futuristic Auto Repair Technologies"
on HowStuffWorks.com