Car technology of the future ~ station of gear

We look at the latest car technology ideas from Israel, the start-up hub, which the UK hopes to tap into

2016-08-16 12:45

Car technology is moving faster than it ever has, with firms continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Currently, motoring is one of the key car tech battlegrounds, with drivers expecting and demanding more and more on both old and new vehicles.

While manufacturers are investing thousands in research and development, there remains a place for the entrepreneurs and innovators.

Right now, Silicon Valley in San Francisco is the place to be for computer wizardry, with thousands of start-ups making waves. The UK is some way behind, but the Government is doing its best to make sure we are at the head of the queue for new tech. Part of that is a Number 10 project that ties the UK with the country that has the second-highest number of start-ups behind Silicon Valley: Israel.

The Middle East country spends four per cent of its GDP on R&D – one of the highest percentages in the world – and Tel Aviv has its own area affectionately called Silicon Wadi, with around 5,000 start-ups.

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Israel is also the birthplace of well known firms such as traffic app Waze and advanced driver-assistance systems developer Mobileye.

To find out what might be the next big business to come out of Israel, Auto Express met up with five visiting start-ups, which are all part of the UK Israel Tech Hub scheme. We spoke to them during their busy schedules, which also included meetings with Jaguar Land Rover and Transport for London.

sPARK

What: Parking app
When: Late 2016

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Image 2 of 6

Hunting for a parking space remains one of the biggest frustrations for motorists, and while there are plenty of apps that’ll help you find a spot or pay for time, it’s fair to say none do it that well.

That’s where Zohar Bali, CEO and co-founder of sPARK, thinks his new Parking Polly app can help. He says, on average, we spend around 20 minutes in a busy city looking for parking.

The iOS and Android app has been on trial in Israel since March 2015 and gives real-time availability of parking, promising to provide the best option around your destination – whether that’s on-street or in a multi-storey lot.

What makes it unique is that it combines walking distance to destination, cost and availability to rank the best option along your route.

It takes just eight weeks to launch a new city from scratch, and is due in the UK soon.

Nexar

What: Smart dash cam network
When: Now

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Dash cam development is where Nexar is pushing the limits; it’s aiming to create a vehicle-to-vehicle network based on the tech. The smart dash cam app records hazardous events while you drive, including accidents or dangerous driving.

The app records both ways, so it can get footage of the inside, for example to protect against difficult passengers for taxi drivers. It’s also activated by voice control and produces time-lapse videos for when you’re not involved in any incidents. It will never use more than 50 per cent of your device’s storage, either.

Beyond the dash cam functionality, Nexar plans to connect you with anyone else using the app to create a network of information.

Co-founder Bruno Fernandez-Ruiz said: “It will take your driving experience to the 21st century, and bring your car into the connected-driving revolution, no matter whether you have an old Chevy or a brand new Tesla.” The free app was launched in February and already has a network growing in San Francisco and New York.

Radiomize

What: Smart steering wheel
When: August/September

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Advancements in aftermarket technology mean the latest kit isn’t just for the newest cars on the market. The Radiomize steering-wheel cover brings the connected car to virtually any model, adding gesture control and built-in media functions by turning the wheel into a touch surface.

Radio on demand, reading and responding to text messages and control of a smartphone are all possible without taking your hands off the wheel, allowing eyes to stay on the road.

Already, Shmulik Kaz, CEO of Radiomize, said the tech covers 95 per cent of cars globally, with availability in Spain, France, Italy and Germany to name but a few.

Currently listed on crowd-funding site Indiegogo, Radiomize won’t be beyond the reach of the everyday driver, with a retail price of around $90 (£68) when it rolls out globally from the end of this month.

Kaz added: “It’s very affordable and you can take the system from one car to another.”

Karamba Security

What: Vehicle anti-virus
When: Late 2016

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Image 5 of 6

Car hacking has never been more of a problem, with a heap of electronics loaded on to vehicles making it easier for criminals to tamper with internal computers.

David Barzilai, executive chairman of Karamba Security, said he hears of another case “every couple of weeks”. He added: “The Jeep Cherokee incident [where researchers hacked the vehicle, controlling everything up to the accelerator] made people aware it can be done.” An FBI warning in March advised users to keep up with service schedules for fixes, too. Getting inside a car’s ECU is as easy as loading a virus CD.

Barzilai explained that his technology can prevent hackers from getting in to a vehicle’s ECU. The product “learns” the factory settings of a vehicle and only allows actions that are pre-coded – much like the anti-virus software on your computer. He is currently in discussions to build Karamba into cars from new, but said it’ll be possible to retrofit to older models.

ComRoads

What: Dash cam
When: Late 2016

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You might think the booming dash cam market can’t take any more new products, but Roy Golombick, CEO of ComRoads, believes there’s still so much more to come.

His project takes dash cam footage and data, and puts it to use for the benefit of other motorists. He said: “Instead of just posting dash cam videos on YouTube, we can track when and where road incidents happen.”

By doing this, ComRoads aims to understand areas that are more prone to problems and reveal what the traffic situation is. It’ll also be able to provide alerts to drivers when they reach danger spots. The viewable map will have live video snippets of the road’s current state so you can see what the hold-up is, while all footage is totally anonymous.

To start with, ComRoads will launch as an app; at the moment, it’s in beta testing stage where existing footage can be uploaded. Later this year, the app will go fully live – with a video limit of 350kb so it won’t drain your data – and after that a branded dash cam will arrive with a Bluetooth button to easily upload video.

Golombick said: “We want to help people understand and see what’s really going on on the roads.”

What technology would you like to see on the cars in the future?

Joe Finnerty

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