As the world looks to develop vehicles that are smarter, greener and more autonomous, there’s been a noticeable change in the quantity and nature of concept vehicles designed to solve practical, real-world problems. While there are still concept cars that seem to exist entirely to attract dating partners, there’s also a new generation of vehicles that make us think about a world of clean, shared vehicles available only when require.
The upcoming Consumer Electronics Show, which will be held from January 8 to 12 in Las Vegas, will see the debut of a variety of concept cars. Once a show with a reputation simply for gadgets, the world’s largest consumer electronics show is now a haven for vehicles and vehicle technology, including infotainment systems, safety technology, autonomous driving, battery packs, electric powertrains and more. A preview of some things auto makers will show at CES include the following:
Honda. Honda will exhibit an updated prototype of its Autonomous Work Vehicle, which was designed to work in places where it’s simply too dangerous or hard-to-reach for humans.
Audi. The Audi e-tron, which is slated to become Audi’s first all-electric production car, which features a nearly 250-mile range. Audi will also be exhibiting a brand-new infotainment platform which it says essentially turns a vehicle into a mobile movie theater.
Rinspeed. Switzerland’s Rinspeed will demonstrate its microSNAP, an autonomously driving two-person passenger vehicle that uses smart technology to identify passengers and personalize their vehicle-riding experience.
Bosch. German conglomerate Bosch will exhibit its concept shuttle, a silent, autonomous shuttle with sliding doors. The company that produces these shuttles is expecting that vehicles like these will become a common sight on urban streets in the future.
Hyundai. The South Korean car maker will feature a vehicle installed with its latest “Virtual Touch Technology,” an infotainment interface that recognizes the driver’s gestures instead of requiring touchscreen inputs. The system pairs with Hyundai’s “Windscreen Display Technology;” a windscreen that’s transparent during manual driving mode but can be blacked out in autonomous driving mode to display entertainment.
Kia. Kia will demonstrate its new Real-time Emotion Adaptive Driving (R.E.A.D.) system, which is designed to adjust a vehicle’s interior lighting and climate according to the driver’s emotional state, using a range of sensors and artificial intelligence.
Mercedes. The German luxury brand plans to introduce its Vision URBANETIC technology for autonomously-driven, all-electric vehicles. The company will demonstrate that the concept is adaptable for either passenger transportation or cargo delivery.
