As sensors and innovative new feedback systems go through iterative cycles and a few generations of use, they reach a maturity level of engineering, coding, quality and price. One example is complex driver assistance features that have become commonplace in millions of new vehicles, so now the prices of those sensors and compatible software components and digital systems are dropping making them affordable to apply to other product categories.
Like many products before them in different industries, many outdoor and sporting products reflect the mastery of Industrial Design - via compelling shapes and forms, smart connected physical parts, interesting applications of colors, materials and finishes (often leading edges in sustainability) and complex mechanical engineering in the way that they operate.
And now, connected systems, visualization, data standards and usage are all becoming very mature. The value of data to consumers and companies is well known and like in all other industries, transparency, security and control are paramount. Emerging paradigms of interaction that continue to grow in popularity, like touch-pads and gestures, voice control and augmented reality, are applied in new ways that will enhance outdoor adventure gear, exercise and sports systems. New mash-ups of physical form, material, curated content and connected tech are expanding the auto, sport and outdoor industries. When applied and designed well, these feel like natural and familiar tools and interactions to consumers - similar to how they already interact with their homes and vehicles.
