Are Connected Drones the Next Automotive Renaissance or a Pipe Dream?

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

Now that automakers have more or less mastered the ability to assemble competent transportation for the masses, the quest to build a better car has branched out into strange places. Connectivity is one of the burgeoning frontiers of automotive achievement and its threshold for greatness continues to be raised. With navigation and phone integration handled, manufacturers have begun seeking other ways to interconnect vehicles with all manner of devices. Occupants can now benefit from onboard GPS, Wi-Fi, and — more recently — smart home devices like Amazon’s Echo.

Drones could be next.

While it sounds almost comically implausible, several automakers and suppliers have begun toying with the idea of equipping specific models with drones. Last September, Mercedes-Benz introduced the idea that its delivery vans should have the option of being equipped with package-toting quadcopters as part of a five-year-plan to terrify suburbia. FCA designed a concept Wrangler for the Easter Jeep Safari that included a roof-mounted landing pad for a recreational drone. Mitsubishi Electric is showcasing its new FLEXConnect.AI infotainment platform with drone functionality.

While all three examples are in the earliest stages of development and may never yield flying mechanical fruit, it’s interesting to see car builders seeking applications for the technology. It might sound like future fantasy but all three examples have a basis in reality. Amazon has already begun testing delivery drones and has even used them to make successful drop offs — though for purely promotional purposes.

Meanwhile, the scouting bots proposed are already being used routinely by the military. The United States frequently uses unmanned drones for reconnaissance in unfamiliar territory, often before blowing up targets. According to Mitsubishi, it would use flying robots for similar purposes — the scouting, not the devastation.

“The drone lifts up and acts as a guide when going through the woods. If there is a log in the trail, it can warn the driver ahead of time,” Mitsubishi Electric UX expert Jacek Spiewla told Wards Auto during an demo at Detroit’s TU-Automotive conference.

Spiewla claims manufacturers are interested in what drones can do for upcoming design concepts and are asking about urban applications, such as investigating traffic accidents or finding alternate routes.

Mitsubishi’s FLEXConnect.AI UX concept provides a simple interface that issues hypothetical drone commands like “follow me” or “scout.” Complex computerized guidance systems do the rest as an in-car feed shows you everything the little robot sees. Of course, this is only a simulated experience. Mitsubishi doesn’t currently have a physical drone capable of the kind of autonomy this sort of tech would require, but it is available should they want to pursue it.

Whether or not drone implementation has a future in the automotive realm is highly specious. Without absolutely perfect navigational abilities, it would only be suited to certain types of vehicles undertaking very specific activities. There are also loads of FAA rules regarding the legal usage of drones and plenty of murky areas automakers would have to wade into if they ever wanted to get serious about using the technology commercially. But the seeds have been planted and, at the very least, some companies are taking it into consideration.

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Turf3 Turf3 on Jun 16, 2017

    PULL! I wonder whether a well aimed jet of water could take one of these out. Sooner or later one of these things is going to impinge on my property and I will have to decide what to do about it.

  • WildcatMatt WildcatMatt on Jun 27, 2017

    I've been thinking about the possibility of drones becoming cheap and efficient enough that they could be deployed one every couple of miles as cell tower repeaters for areas that are currently underserved, particularly along rural stretches of highway.

  • Dukeisduke Is the Volvo EX30 even on sale yet? It was pulled from the NACTOY awards because they were having software problems with the vehicle.
  • Wjtinfwb If you've only got 5k to spend on transportation, I cannot imagine a worse way to spend it than on a GM orphan from Sweden that's 15 years old with 150k on the clock and limited plus expensive parts availability and dwindling techs who'd even want to work on it. Go find a similar vintage Camry or Accord with 150k miles or even a Ford or a Chevy, whatever. Hell, even an old Jaguar is less of a crapshoot than a Saab. At least you can still get parts.
  • Kwik_Shift Brands that were considered from China include BYD, Dayun, Great Wall Motors, Maxus, Nio, Omoda/Chery, Seres, XPeng, and Zeekr. KG Mobility from South Korea also made the list of candidates.That's a lot of car companies from there ready to head here.
  • Analoggrotto Clean sweep and unanimous victory for the world affluence engine of 22nd century : Hyundai/Kia/Genesis. Toyota and Lexus, for 120 years of history have not been able to capture the zenith superlative status of Hyundai Motor Corporation the most awarded, decorated and revered automotive corporation in the history of historical. Featuring best ever, first ever and greatest ever e-ATPs the Hyundai Genesis Kia lineup is posed to become the envy of every country club, ivy league college and fortune 500 corporation in the world. I've been taking a roadtrip in my loaner Elantra N, visiting colleges from east to west, elite universities of higher learning to inspect their parking lots. WHat did I find? Leagues of Genesis models, outnumbering Lexus 3 to 1. When I interviewed faculty and staff at these places of greater learning, their response was unanimous : they chose HMC for the ATPs.
  • Mikey 2019 Chevy Impala Premier FWD with 20 inch factory Bridgestones. I'm looking at replacing tires at the 65,000 KLM's (40,000 miles ) mark ....It doesn't thrill me .. I'm pricing Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires ouch !! ..Up here in Canuckastan ....Big $$$$$
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