In the near future, passenger cars will be able to see things their drivers can’t, such as an accident up ahead, a car about to run a red light, or even ice on the roads.

Currently, the U.S. Department of Transportation is working directly with stakeholders to implement this connectivity, while the Secretary of Transportation will issue a rule this year on connected car requirements staring with model-year 2020.

What does this mean for car rental? As the largest purchasers of new vehicles in the country, car rental companies will be at the forefront of this adoption.

At the 2016 International Car Rental Show, Egan Smith, managing director of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, will present the seminar “The Connected Car and Implications for Car Rental,” which will address the impact of the connected car on the car rental industry in the U.S. and globally.

“The connected car may be the precursor to the driverless car, but it’s not some faraway fantasy,” says Chris Brown, executive editor of Auto Rental News. “The technology is available and the regulations are forthcoming. This seminar is the starting point of the industry’s understanding and acceptance of a major step in transportation.”

The 2016 International Car Rental Show will be held April 17-19 at Bally’s Las Vegas. Click here to view the full schedule.