What we thought cars would look like in 2020

When you were a kid, how did you imagine the future would be like? Some of them probably came true! Smart buildings, video calls, rockets going to outer space, and yes, flying cars.

As fans of automobiles, we had varied imaginations of what cars would look like in 2020. While obviously fancy and outrageous in aesthetic, it’s mind-blowing to realise that most of them have really come into being!

Here are three things that we thought cars would look like in 2020 that actually came true!

Flying cars
We’ve all imagined flying cars, right? With the popularity of the animated series, The Jetsons, we imagined zipping in and out of traffic, not on the streets but up in the air. And this might happen sooner than you think! Chinese-owned US-based company, Terrafugia, is currently taking orders for pre-sales of the Transition, a two-seat “roadable” aircraft that allows the driver to switch from driving to flying in, get this, LESS THAN A MINUTE. The company is not building just one model. They also have TF-2 waiting in the wings. Literally. Move over, Tesla. This is the king of all future cars!

Photo credit: Motor Authority

Self-driving cars
Okay, so we’re not pitting one tech against the other. It’s just cars flying is such an awesome thing to be a witness of at least in our lifetime. While flying cars are still in the development phase, we can definitely enjoy the next best thing – self-driving cars. Tesla may have popularised autopilot technology, but self-driving tech is a whole new animal. This tech allows a vehicle to be fully automated with the use of GPS, inertial measurement units, advanced sensory information, lidar, sonar, and odometry. The very first recorded automated car was developed in the late 70s by Japan’s Tsukuba Mechanical Engineering Laboratory. This vehicle reaches speeds up to 19 miles per hour.

Photo credit: Slideshare

Waymo, a sister company of Google, has taken autonomous driving to a whole new level. The way they debuted into global consciousness was like a scene from a movie. After experimenting below the radar, they were outed by the New York Times. Now that it was no longer a secret, Waymo became more upfront with what they have up their sleeves. By 2018, their test vehicles travelled in automated mode for over 10 million miles. They then commercialised a fleet of fully autonomous taxis in Phoenix, Arizona and by 2020, they opened Waymo’s service to the public.

Photo credit: Yahoo News

Cars that can drive on water
We also imagined amphibious automobiles! These are cars that are as viable on land as they are on water. While there are military vehicles that are already amphibious at certain depths, there have been several attempts to invent amphibious cars for the regular Joe and Joana. The closest to an amphibious vehicle for civilians would be the feisty all-terrain vehicle (ATV). As early as 2013, the Quadski was developed by US-based company, Gibbs Amphibians. This ATV was capable of travelling up to 72 km/h on land or water.

Photo credit: Gibbs

You know what we’re waiting for? Cars that can drive UNDERwater. With all the tech advancements happening around us, we’re confident this might come true sooner than later.

How did you imagine cars would look like in 2020? Share them in the comment section!

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