Called the media bar, it sits between the headlights under a separate panel. For now, a system like this could only be used when the car is parked due to strict legislation around automotive lighting, but it can still show things such as charge status. As legislation relaxes, though, it could be used to display information on the move, such as sports scores, weather forecasts and traffic conditions.

Steer-by-wire – Lexus

Arguably the most transformative future automotive technology is steer-by-wire – essentially the removal of a physical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. Many makers have tried, but it’s still only on the cusp of being introduced because of the extensive development required to make the system both safe and trustworthy.

Tesla is the only manufacturer to have applied it to a production car, but Infiniti briefly introduced it with a secondary back-up physical rack and pinion still in place in case the electronics failed. Lexus has revealed its RZ with the technology, but it is still not available to buy.

Why is it so useful? Aside from making the production of left and right-hand-drive models easier, it also allows for much greater flexibility in the packaging. This means the designers and engineers can technically place the driver’s seat and steering wheel almost anywhere.

3D printing – Divergent

Mainstream 3D printing has been established in many fields for the past few decades, but only now is it starting to make some serious inroads to the more complex manufacturing you’ll find in automotive applications. California’s Divergent is one of the companies leading the charge, supplying 3D-printed aluminium suspension components to brands such as Bugatti and Czinger.

The benefit of 3D printing is the ability to create parts that are as strong as possible, while removing all the extra material that isn’t needed to retain that strength. Computer programs create complex, almost biological-looking components that form key suspension or chassis parts, printed in titanium or aluminium.

Bugatti uses this technology for the suspension in its new Tourbillon, but Czinger has taken it one step further in creating whole sub-frames, wheel carriers and even brake calipers.

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