The automotive industry has come a long way in recent years, seeing the modern day car able to do far more than simply drive and park. Automotive manufacturers are now working hand-in-hand with tech companies to redefine the way cars are manufactured, operated and maintained, seeing them become large smart devices with the likes of advanced emergency braking capabilities, mapping technology for autonomous driving and better fuel efficiency.

All of this spells good news for Australia’s automotive industry, with such developments resulting in more job opportunities for skilled automotive technicians and those willing to upskill themselves in the area of automotive technology. In fact, the number of people working as motor mechanics has grown strongly over the past five years, with an expected 23,000 job openings over the coming five years, and many transitioning into the role of skilled technicians.

Here are four areas of automotive technology that are changing the face of the industry, making it an exciting and engaging industry to work within.

Self-driving and autonomous technology

While we’re still quite a way from widely adopting completely self-driving cars, a number already have semi-autonomous driver-assisted technologies. These include automatic-braking sensors, motorway lane sensors, mapping technology that monitors blind spots, cameras in the back and front of a car, adaptive cruise control and self-parking capabilities.

Nowadays, many modern cars feature autonomous systems like Autonomous Emergency Braking, which use radar, cameras and lidar technology to assess the road ahead and work out potential collisions.

Audi’s adaptive cruise control employs 30 control units to analyse its surrounding environment to regulate the speed according to distance between itself and the vehicle ahead, while a BMW 7 series currently on the market has the capability to park itself without driver intervention. Even multinational technology company Google has jumped on board, recently revealing its self-driving pod ‘Waymo’.

Cars go 3-Dimensional

German multinational engineering and technology company Bosch is working on digital dashboard technology that could make three-dimensional displays a reality. Aimed at improving safety by making critical alerts stand out from regular dashboard notifications, this kind of technology could be used to better show owners where their car is in relation to obstacles.

This kind of technology also paves the way for easier navigation for drivers. Currently an in-car GPS can typically show a 3D perspective on a flat display, however a true 3-D display could make pinpointing your exact location – and which direction to take next – more understandable.

Greater car connectivity

As computers have become more central to the mass production of automobiles, the capacity for user interactivity has increased enormously. Today, every car produced has some kind of onboard computer that controls a wide range of functions.

However some car manufacturers are taking this one step further. For those who are wanting to browse the internet, Tesla is deploying an over-the-air software update that will allow drivers to surf the web on a large dashboard screen when the car is in park.

Fuel efficient rides



In 2016, more than 2 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide, and this number is expected to grow in the near future as more automotive manufacturers embrace electric vehicle technology to their fold. This has predominantly been brought on by growing consumer demand for cars that are more environmentally friendly and cost efficient.

At the front of this fuel-efficiency movement is Tesla, which has released a slew of electric and hybrid vehicles that can take you for hundreds of kilometres with a single charge. Companies such as VW and General Motors have recently unveiled electric cars to their fleet, while Volvo has stated that all of the its engines will be equipped with an electric motor by the end of 2019.

The rise of electric cars has also made them more financially accessible, with more affordable hybrid cars priced under $30,000 being released by the likes of Toyota, Kia and Honda, suggesting that investing in fuel efficiency may soon be widely adopted around the globe.

If you’re looking to work within the exciting and developing automotive industry, contact us today and one of our consultants can assist with your needs.