Technology of the year 2022

The future of transport is the theme of our 2022 technology of the year.

Sales of electric vehicles are surging, but the technology faces challenges in terms of the development of an appropriate charging infrastructure and the ongoing global chip shortage.

Autonomous vehicles are not a panacea for the issues that currently plague transportation systems. Smart policies — which are flexible enough to deal with emerging technologies — are required to help cities and states realize the benefits of these vehicles.

Electric vehicles could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deliver a sustainable transport system. But the full life cycle of electric vehicles needs to be considered in order to avoid creating resource issues while trying to achieve the necessary climate goals.

Technical and economic developments in battery and fast-charging technologies could soon make fuel cell electric vehicles, which run on hydrogen, superfluous in road transport.

Cities are central to increasing the uptake of electric vehicles. A range of situational and contextual factors will influence this process, and cities need to use a variety of mechanisms — including policies and incentives — to drive the necessary change.

Solid-state electronic components that control and convert electrical power are key to the energy management and lifetime of electrified transport.

The use of electric vehicles has increased substantially in recent years but the development of an appropriate charging infrastructure remains a challenge. Roads with dynamic wireless charging could provide an answer.