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How will a generation of drivers raised on cell phones, social media and web cams connect to the automobile in 20 years? That’s what Design Los Angeles asked six forward-looking car makers in a contest to design the most innovative vision of the future of automobiles. These changes aren’t about engines, but they sure are cool…
Audi eOra/eSpira
In Audi’s vision of the automotive future, we no longer drive with our hands at ten and two. Instead, Audi’s eSpira will react to your own body movements and senses – almost like a mechanical suit of armor than a vehicle.
General Motors Car Hero
How can you get kids to be better drivers? Make it a game, says GM. GM’s Car Hero concept is a futuristic video game/automobile that lets you “unlock” control of your car. Otherwise, the car goes on auto pilot, and you have to “compete” against it to prove your skills.
Honda Helix
For many of us, our cars are an extension of our personality. The Honda Helix takes that to an extreme. It’s a car that fuses with your DNA and evolves and adapts along with you to match your driving environment and your needs .
Mazda Souga
Mazda predicts that the next generation will be incredibly design savvy with an entrepreneurial DIY spirit. That’s why, in the future, Mazda let’s young drivers design their own cars from scratch at VMazda, a virtual reality website described as a “design playground” for cars. Ater the design is finished, Mazda makes it to order for a price of $2,000. After that, he pays a monthly bill for the energy his car uses, similar to a cell phone plan.
Nissan V2G [UNLMTD]
Nissan’s concept has a deliciously cyberpunk backstory and a contrastingly realistic application, which is likely why it took home the top prize in this design contest. In Nissan’s future, the nation’s highways have been converted to a grid system, where electric cars are powered by the city’s own electrical system (sort of like a cable car). However, young hackers learn to take their Nissan V2g (Vehicle-to-Grid) cars off the grid and begin to explore the virtually endless opportunities of the newly created frontier.
Toyota LINK
In the future, more young people will be enrolled in college than ever – but they’ll still be poor. The Toyota LINK provides an affordable way for students to commute by allowing them to hop onto a transportation social network HUB. It’s like carpooling meets social media, as students link up and trade music and compare class schedules as they share a commute. On the way back, they can link up with someone else going their way.
Many of these designs were overly futuristic, given that there’s only two decades separating then from now. But it sure is a nice refinement from the old cliché concepts of a flying car that were conjectured for the 21st century. Nissan’s idea for a vehicle-to-grid is especially inspiring as drivers all across the globe seek alternatives to fossil fuels.
