The history of transportation is filled with big ideas, some of which have transformed the way we get around.

The cars of tomorrow are going to look quite different. They will be powered by new technologies and follow new designs. Four major trends are emerging.

1. Electrification: Going Green

The electric vehicle market has been growing rapidly. Between 2016 and 2018, the global market for electric vehicles doubled in size. Experts predict that this market will grow more than tenfold by 2030.

Volkswagen, the world's largest automaker, plans to produce a million electric vehicles annually starting in 2025. This shift towards electric vehicles means suppliers must provide safe, efficient, and affordable power battery systems.

2. Digitalization: Cars as Data Hubs

Cars are becoming data hubs on wheels. Modern cars generate a constant stream of data, with the next generation of semi-autonomous cars capable of producing up to 19 terabytes of data per hour. With more sensors and higher-resolution cameras, the data stream keeps growing.

Manufacturers and suppliers are developing new ways to handle this massive data influx, like innovative transmission and server concepts for cars.

3. Sharing Models on the Rise

The sharing economy is making its mark in transportation. Renting vehicles is becoming an appealing alternative to the high costs of buying and maintaining a car. Thanks to GPS, smartphones, and e-commerce, vehicle rental is becoming more flexible and convenient.

In 2019, nearly 2.5 million car-sharing users in Germany shared around 20,200 vehicles, which is like 124 people driving a single car together.

4. Self-Driving Cars: A Glimpse into the Future

If you're keen to see robots behind the wheel, California is the place to be. Currently, around 64 companies are testing self-driving cars on the roads, and in 2019 alone, these vehicles covered 4.6 million kilometers.

Although driver assistance systems are taking on more driving tasks, fully autonomous vehicles still face technical and regulatory challenges before they can be sold.

Self-driving technology is particularly promising for buses, taxis, and the logistics industry, which deals with significant labor costs. With the growing demand for freight transport and a shortage of young workers, self-driving trucks may become a valuable investment.

In the coming decade, people can expect the automotive industry to make substantial leaps forward, ushering in a new era of transportation compared to the last fifty years. Exciting changes in electrification, digitalization, sharing models, and self-driving technology will redefine the way people move from place to place.