It is estimated that the world's fuel reserves will last only for the next half a century.
Therefore, automobile engineers are inclined on making fuel thrifty cars to counter the rising oil prices.
They have a lot of different technologies at their disposal but only a few of them are practical.
Many countries are experimenting with the use of ethanol to run cars with only limited success.
One of the most practical solutions is to use more aerodynamic designs to enhance the miles to the gallon a car could run.
The present day cars are utilizing this technology to minimize wind resistance and save energy.
This has helped new cars to be fuel thrifty.
Another way is to use lighter material and make the cars lighter.
This also has contributed to save fuel.
Hybrid cars also are a good solution found by automobile engineers.
They are able store unused energy in batteries and use it when the car engine is running at idling speed.
Also they use this energy when no acceleration is necessary.
A few companies have manufactured highly fuel thrifty hybrid cars.
This branch of automobile engineering is still developing and we could hope a lot from this technology in the future.
The most practical new technology available today for automobile engineers is the use of computers.
Though it doesn't make drastic changes the way internal combustion engines work, it makes these engines fuel thrifty by rendering them more efficient.
It is done by the use of computer controlled modules to help every component to work efficiently.
These modules are used in almost all parts of cars.
One of the most important components of an automobile in this case is the engine control module.
It looks after the functioning of the engine.
It will pump the right volume of fuel to the cylinders and will provide the exact volume of air required for the burning of the fuel that is being pumped.
Through a sensor for oxygen in the exhaust, it will also make sure that complete burning has occurred in order to harness the energy stored in the fuel in an efficient manner.
Another similar device is called the transmission control module.
It makes sure that the energy produced by the engine is transmitted to the wheels in the most efficient manner.
It will change gears in such a way that your automobile will not waste any energy.
This way it makes any vehicle fuel thrifty.
Computer technology is used in a productive manner to save fuel with these modules.