Rinspeed's latest concept is a self-driving sports car
Most prototype self-driving cars are designed for comfort, not performance. After all, wouldn't you want to take the wheel if you really wanted a thrill? Rinspeed thinks there's a case to be made, though: it just teased the Σtos, an autonomous sports car concept. The vehicle still has a steering wheel for those hands-on moments, but the controller automatically retracts into the dashboard when you're content to let the car do all the hard work. Two curved widescreen displays also move closer into view in this mode, and there's even a drone (complete with a landing pad) that could deliver goods or record your adventures on camera.
Like with many Rinspeed concepts, this is all a bit pie-in-the-sky -- the odds are that you won't see an Ʃtos in your garage any time soon, if ever. There will be a real-world example of it at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, however. And even if it's just a theoretical exercise, it's a reminder that self-driving cars don't have to be exclusively about getting from point A to point B. You could eventually see sports cars that give you full control when you're on a race track, but take the reins when you're wading through traffic on the way home.
