Here Are 5 Emerging Trends In Modern Mass-market Cars Ranging From Digital Key To Smarter Screens

Modern-day automobiles are no longer just about commuting. They're being designed to make the journey safer, smarter, and more comfortable. Today’s cars come equipped with a host of technologies that simplify our lives, and what was once the privilege of high-end luxury cars has now filtered down to the mass market. Let’s have a look at the top 5 emerging trends in mass-market cars:

Digital Key

Starting with how you can access your modern-day car, vehicles equipped with the digital key feature can be locked or unlocked via smartphones using NFC (near-field communication). Once synced, your smartphone acts as a digital key, allowing you to access and even start the car, that too without having access to a physical key. Hyundai already offers this functionality with the Alcazar and Creta Electric. In fact, the recently launched Tata Harrier EV also boasts this functionality.

Signature Lighting Patterns

Not long ago, signature lighting patterns and animated sequences were exclusive to luxury brands like Land Rover and Audi. Now, many mass-market cars in midsize and even in sub-4m SUV space get signature lighting patterns. Most facelifted or new Tata cars like Tata Nexon, Tata Curvv, Tata Safari, and Tata Harrier EV get welcome and goodbye animations with their connected LED DRLs and connected LED tail lights. Not just this, but the connected LED DRLs offered with Tata EVs also work as a charging level indicator.

Also Read: 5 Things From New Mahindra Vision Concepts That Should Make Their Way To Production-spec Version

Minimalistic Interior, Smarter Screens

Modern-day cars have begun adopting a more minimalistic interior layout, eliminating most physical buttons and controls in favour of a large touchscreen that integrates them into the display itself. Functions such as traction control, panoramic sunroof operation, ORVM adjustment, and even climate controls are now managed through a single screen.  

A recent example of this trend is the MG Windsor EV. It comes with a big 15.6-inch touchscreen which houses controls for functions like ORVMs and sunroof. Not just this, but even the drive modes and braking regeneration level can be adjusted via Windsor EV’s infotainment.

Illuminated Patterns On Sunroof

A recent trend emerging in mass-market EVs is illuminated patterns on the sunroof. Mahindra’s EV twins—the BE 6 and XEV 9e—feature Mahindra’s infinity logo and other patterns etched onto the glass, which light up in different colours when the EV is put into Groove Mode, or even in sync with the ambient lighting. We recently also saw this with the BE 6 Batman edition, in which the ‘Batman’ logo was etched into the fixed glass roof.

Frunk Storage For EVs

Electric cars generally have free space under the hood since there’s no engine, only electric motors. So, automakers are now utilising this left space by offering frunk storage under the hood. The space can vary between 14 litres for small EVs to up to 67 litres for bigger EVs. Models like Tata Punch EV, Tata Harrier EV, Mahindra BE 6, and Mahindra XEV 9e offer frunk storage.

So, these were the five emerging trends in mass-market cars in India. Which one do you think makes the most sense, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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