The automotive industry is a vast industry that employs millions of people worldwide. A car is essentially a motorized wheeled vehicle used for transport. Automotive industry refers to the components, design, and manufacture of vehicles. Most automotive definitions of automobiles state that they function primarily on paved roads, have fixed seats one to eight passengers, have four tires, and are driven by humans instead of products. Some car manufacturers produce vehicles as prototypes before manufacturing them for sale for public consumption.

Self-driving vehicles, also known as electric vehicles (EV) refer to any motorized vehicle with an automobile that drives itself. Self-driving vehicles will often operate along individual highways and freeways. Some examples of self-driving vehicles include fully electric golf trolleys, motorcycles, buses, delivery vehicles, and minivans. Although electric vehicle technology is still evolving, there are currently several different types of self-driving vehicles available in the automotive industry:

Augmented reality systems replace the outdated turn signal lights and traditional headlights with infra-red (IR) beams that are visible to the operator of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors collect data from throughout the lane and send the data to a computer. The computer then uses the collected data to detect obstacles and make necessary adjustments to the course of travel. Most systems are capable of determining the presence of other vehicles and issuing a warning to the driver if other vehicles pose a hazard.

Some vehicle sensors are automated and others are not. For instance, the brake light sensors are usually located on the front end of the vehicle in front of the driver. Automotive sensors can detect the existence of an object in the lane ahead, such as a vehicle, animal, or person, which triggers the brake light to come on. Other autonomous sensors are designed to trigger other safety and security devices, like the emergency lights or the siren. A number of advanced vehicles offer both systems, allowing motorists to safely and smoothly drive through traffic.

Another type of sensor in the automotive industry is the remote sensor. This unit is installed at a distance, usually in the trunk, of the vehicle. The unit receives signals from various sources and analyzes the information. Based on the analysis, the unit can tell the driver whether to activate the air bags or the traction control. Some of these devices are now also capable of self-preservation, a form of proactive maintenance that ensures that the vehicles continue to function properly even when there is no human monitoring them.

The ability to monitor and remotely control the vehicles was made possible by advancements in automation. Advances in components like the vi were able to create a system that allows a single unit to monitor and command numerous units. These units include backup generators, diagnostic devices, and remote starting systems. The v2v and vi can be built into the vehicles or they can be connected to a central system that then modifies driving habits based on real-time data. Newer technologies like LIDAR are able to scan the roads and determine the best routes for vehicles.

The advancements in the automotive industry have led to the introduction of self-driving vehicles. These vehicles allow the driver to take his or her hands off the wheel completely. Automakers are currently working to develop fully self-driving vehicles that will allow the driver to take his or her hands off the wheel while sitting in the passenger seat. In the future, self-driving vehicles may not even need a human driver at all. These vehicles would simply find a safe place to park, get out of the way, and drive themselves. Although these vehicles have not yet reached full production, advancements in self-driving vehicles are helping to pave the way toward these vehicles becoming available on the market.

The advances in the motors and the sensors used to control them have helped to make these highly sophisticated machines safer. Modern motors, sensors, and other components help to reduce the likelihood of failures, improving the reliability and efficiency of modern day automobile systems. Many of these components, especially the ones used in the highly automated vehicles mentioned above, are developed to operate using energy rather than diesel or gasoline. Alternative fuel technologies are still developing, but research is being done by companies that specialize in alternative fuel vehicles to improve upon the current state of the fuel industry.