If you’ve bought a car this side of the year 2000, you can expect features such as electric windows, remote locking and power steering to come as standard. However, there was a time in the not hugely distant past when these were considered radical selling points for a vehicle. Almost two decades on, what innovations are we now talking about as cutting edge in terms of car technology?

The idea of self-driving robot cars has been floated (quite often literally) in cartoons and science fiction TV shows, but in 2017, this is not far away from becoming a reality. The days of fully autonomous cars aren’t on the horizon just yet, but there are autopilot technologies in place for functions such as parallel parking, autonomous lane change and side collision warning.

The means through which you enter and start your car are also set to change soon. We have seen keyless entry and push-button ignition, but we’re set to enter an age of biometric access and ignition where a scan of your fingerprint will do the trick. There is the possibility of retinal scanning being introduced, but this is not anticipated for launch any time soon.

This infographic from Southside Motor Factors www.smf.ie/products/car-diagnostic-tools.767.html  profiles a few of the most remarkable and futuristic car technologies that have recently been introduced or are set to be debuted in the foreseeable future. Let’s see what features could soon become as common as electric windows.