For more than a century, cars were primarily mechanical machines. Engines, gearboxes, brakes and suspension systems determined how a vehicle performed.

Today, that definition is changing.

Modern cars increasingly depend on software, sensors, cameras and powerful computers. In many new vehicles, software can influence everything from entertainment and navigation to safety systems and driving assistance.

The rise of the software-defined car

A software-defined vehicle is essentially a car whose capabilities can be significantly controlled or improved through software.

Instead of every feature being permanently fixed when the vehicle leaves the factory, manufacturers can use software updates to introduce improvements later.

This is similar to how smartphones receive updates that add features or improve performance.

Your car could get better after you buy it

Over-the-air updates allow manufacturers to update certain vehicle systems remotely.

In the future, a car purchased today could potentially receive improvements to its infotainment system, navigation, driver-assistance features or energy management without requiring a traditional service-centre visit.

This changes the relationship between the manufacturer and the customer.

Buying a car may no longer be the end of the product's development. It could be the beginning.

Artificial intelligence is entering the driver's seat

AI is also becoming increasingly important inside vehicles.

Modern driver-assistance systems can use cameras, radar and other sensors to identify lanes, vehicles, pedestrians and road conditions.

AI-powered systems can analyse this information rapidly and assist drivers with tasks such as maintaining lane position, monitoring surrounding traffic and adjusting speed.

However, these systems are designed to assist the driver, and their capabilities and limitations vary significantly between vehicles.

Cars are collecting more data

Connected vehicles can generate enormous amounts of information.

Data can include vehicle performance, driving conditions, navigation information and information about how different features are being used.

This data can help manufacturers improve vehicles and identify potential problems, but it also raises important questions about privacy and data ownership.

What happens when your car has a software problem?

As vehicles become more dependent on software, cybersecurity becomes increasingly important.

A traditional mechanical failure is usually limited to a particular component. A software vulnerability, however, could potentially affect a large number of vehicles using the same system.

Manufacturers therefore need strong cybersecurity measures, regular security updates and carefully designed systems.

The car of the future may feel more like a smartphone

The biggest change may be that cars will increasingly evolve after they are purchased.

New features could arrive through software updates, AI could become a regular part of the driving experience, and vehicles could communicate with other connected devices and infrastructure.

The automobile is no longer just about horsepower and mechanical engineering.

The next generation of cars may be defined as much by lines of code as by the engine under the hood.