technology predictions for 2021 | Future timeline

In 2021, a number of technology breakthroughs and trends will become available to the public, for example:

• China achieves its aim of producing 40 percent of the semiconductors it uses in its manufactured electronics by 2020 and 70 percent by 2025. Likelihood: 80% 1
• Singapore rolls out an Intelligent Driving Circuit this year; it allows people to take driving tests without having an examiner in the car with them. This new circuit — the first in Southeast Asia — is trialed at the Singapore Safety Driving Centre. Likelihood: 70% 1
• The world’s first air taxi service is launched in Singapore this year, with the goal of eventually making it a fully autonomous and affordable means of transport for the masses. Likelihood: 60% 1
• America’s first exascale supercomputer, called Aurora, is now operational and will be used to accelerate data analysis for a variety of scientific disciplines. Likelihood: 100% 1
• Canada to contribute AI and robotics technology (and possibly astronauts) to the US moon mission starting this year. Likelihood: 70% 1
• 5G spectrum auctions to be sold between 2020 to 2021 to accelerate the build-out of a national 5G network. Likelihood: 100% 1
• 5G internet connectivity to be introduced into major Canadian cities between 2020 to 2022. Likelihood: 80% 1
• Ethereum's Casper and Sharding protocols are fully implemented. 1
• Cost of solar panels, per watt, equals 1.1 US dollars 1
• World sales of electric vehicles reaches 7,226,667 1
• Predicted global mobile web traffic equals 36 exabytes 1
• Global Internet traffic grows to 222 exabytes 1