In Back To The Future Part II Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) head into the future to make a few slight changes to the fate of the world. But as Marty already found out from his previous trip to 1955, changing history isn’t exactly simple. They set the DeLorean time machine to take them to October 21, 2015, which for them is thirty years into the future. Since the film was made in 1989, people had a few crazy ideas about what the year 2015 would look like.
Now that we’ve officially made it to October 21, 2015, why not see how accurate their predictions really were?
Flying Cars
Not only does Doc Brown’s DeLorean time machine have the ability to fly, but anyone with an extra $39,999.95 laying around can have their own car converted into the flying variety. As Doc said, “where we’re going we don’t need roads.” Sadly, flying cars and the subsequent abolishment of traffic jams and road rage has not become a reality.
But the concept isn’t actually that far-fetched. A company in Boston called Terrafugia is currently working on its first flying car model, which they call the Transition, and they except it to be on the market sometime in 2016. And if that’s not enough, the small plane-car hybrid actually flies itself, so you won’t even need a special license.
High Tech Clothing
When Marty arrives in 2015, Doc gives him some decade-appropriate clothing so he won’t stand out like a sore thumb. His high top Nike sneakers tie themselves, and his jacket adjusts its size on demand in order to perfectly fit whoever is wearing it. That means you’ll never grow out of anything and you could share your clothes with all your friends regardless of size. Convenient, right?
Some clothing companies have attempted the one-size-fits-all thing, but unless it’s a T-shirt or a pair of sweatpants, chances are it’s not going to work that well. But Nike did recently file a patent for self-lacing shoes. Fashion in general has gone in a more individualistic direction. Unique pieces are coveted, and if you want it to fit perfectly, you can always have it tailored. But wearable tech is definitely growing in popularity by the day.
Video Calling
Now here’s one nail they hit right on the head. Marty’s future self talks to business associates and his boss and even gets fired through a big screen video call. With apps like FaceTime and video calling programs like Skype, we can see and talk to people from all over the world in real time. Considering the Doc and Marty use walkie talkies to keep in touch throughout the movie, video calling probably seemed pretty wild back then.
Thumb-print identification
In the movie, a thumbprint is used for everything from identifying someone, to opening the door to your house, to paying for a (ridiculously overpriced) cab ride. While some high tech companies might use thumb prints for security purposes, most people still have key cards or just a good old fashioned key. But thanks to the tap function on debit machines and services like Uber, we can pay for things without ever having actual cash in our pockets. Maybe the next step will be linking our bank accounts to our finger prints.
Hover boards
The hover board is probably the one thing from Back To The Future that every teenager who saw the movie in 1989 wanted to come true the most. Lexus unveiled a prototype for a hover board that worked in a specifically constructed magnetic skate park. Tony Hawk also helped Hendo design a hover board that works using magnets and handles similar to a skateboard. The only problem is the hover boards will only run over certain surfaces. But Marty’s hover board had its limitations too— it didn’t work over water.
But what about cell phones?
One of the most obvious differences between real 1989 and 2015 is the prevalence of SmartPhones. Everyone and their grandparents has a cell phone these days, and they use it to text, send pictures, and stay connected to social media. Back To The Future definitely didn’t predict we’d all be glued to our phones like we are. Well, maybe if we had hover boards, we’d have something better to do than check Instagram 12 times a day.
