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Byton unveils its first EV with a focus on in-car ‘experience’
As we get closer to a world where the car is doing most of the driving, traditional automakers are trying to figure out what passengers will be doing when they're not driving. Car startup Byton thinks it already knows what people want -- and and unlike most automakers isn't burdened by tradition while it builds its electric SUV of the future.
BMW hopes AI-managed electric bike roads will ease traffic
In some cities, the most common electric vehicles are likely to be two-wheelers like bikes and motorcycles. But cities aren't really designed for them -- you have to compete with cars on the road and at charging stations. BMW and Tongji University think they can do better: they've developed a concept, Vision E3 Way, that gives e-bike riders their own roads. The paths would be safer and reduce traffic congestion, as you might expect, but they'd also take advantage of the electric nature of the vehicles to make two-wheel riding more accessible.
Jaguar's steering wheel of the future revolves around AI
The steering wheel as we know it doesn't have a bright future -- in fact, it might disappear altogether as self-driving cars hit the road. Jaguar Land Rover, however, has an idea as to how it might survive. The British automaker has unveiled a concept steering wheel, Sayer, that's designed for an era where cars normally drive themselves and personal ownership is a thing of the past. The wheel would have its own AI system, and would follow you from car to car -- you'd just hook it in to bring your experience with you.
VW's electric microbus will become a reality in 2022
When Volkswagen unveiled the ID Buzz, the assumption was that it would meet the same fate as many concept cars: it'd look good at an auto show, and promptly disappear when cold economic realities set in. Thankfully, the Buzz won't suffer that fate. VW has announced that it will put the Microbus-inspired EV into production, with a launch expected by 2022. We wouldn't expect everything about the Buzz to remain intact (those large wheels are likely the first things to go), but the '60s-inspired styling, semi-autonomous driving and all-wheel drive option will carry over. VW is even teasing a cargo variant, so couriers may have a clean (and slightly kitschy) alternative to the usual vans.
Infiniti prototype melds a 1940s race car with EV power
As a rule, electric car concepts embrace the future. Even those with a retro flavor are clearly products of the 21st century. Don't tell that to Infiniti, however -- it's going deep into the past. Nissan's luxury badge has unveiled the Prototype 9, an EV whose design unabashedly recalls 1940s race cars (particularly those from Auto Union). And it's not just the long nose, spoked wheels and massive front grille that pay homage -- the prototype was even built using traditional techniques. Inside, of course, it's very much the product of 2017 know-how.
Airbus imagines a faster helicopter with wings
Airbus has showed off a new helicopter concept at the Paris Airshow that could give operators everything they want: speed, versatility and economy. The Racer (rapid and cost-effective rotorcraft) features a main rotor like a regular helicopter, but uses pusher propellers to accelerate it forward and a new "box-wing" system for extra lift. As a result, it'll power along at up to 400 km/h (250 mph) while being able to take off on a dime like a regular chopper.
Lenovo laptop concept flexes like a yoga mat
Lenovo isn't done making exotic concept devices... far from it. The PC maker has unveiled a laptop concept whose centerpiece is a flexible screen that runs right up to the keyboard. It's not joined by a hinge, it is the hinge -- you'd fold it up like a yoga mat, or maybe Microsoft's Surface Book. It wouldn't have a trackpad, but you could write on it and speak to it. There's no guarantees that Lenovo will build it (the company tells us that there's no hands-on time "yet"), but we wouldn't rule it out at some point in the future, either.
BMW's latest motorcycle concept links futuristic style and tech
No doubt, BMW has come up with some cool conceptual vehicles lately, with a color-changing Mini and a futuristic, self-driving Next 100 auto. Its Motorrad Vision Next 100 motorcycle, revealed last October, is maybe the coolest yet with a gyroscopic system designed to keep riders upright and safe no matter what. It also looks pretty, well, rad. The company's latest electric motorcycle, the BMW Motorrad Concept Link, is based on the first Next 100 but brings a more refined, commuter-friendly style to the idea of a zero-emission electric motorcycle.
Nissan imagines Faraday cages in cars will stop phone use
Despite the many tools developed to help us down our phones while driving -- from the simple Bluetooth headset to apps that automatically reply to texts -- it appears we just can't stop fiddling with the things when we're behind the wheel. And even if your eyes are fixed on the road, barking hands-free voice commands can still render you dangerously distracted. Simply ignoring your phone is the most sensible thing to do, and Nissan has come up with the most elaborate, over-engineered way of ensuring that happens: Putting a Faraday cage inside the driver's armrest.
Toyota's FT-4X is an off-road warrior for nerdy yuppies
After years of very good work, the "Toyota" name still conjures up mental images of cheap, functional econoboxes. Efforts to harness the power of cool have led to weird projects like the FJ Cruiser, but we might have seen the pinnacle of Toyota's work here at the New York Auto Show. Behold: the FT-4X, a concept machine built specifically for tech-loving yuppies.
Complete your steampunk cosplay with a Samsung pocket watch
As the world's biggest watch show continues to pump out smartwatch variants from nearly everyone, at Baselworld, established player Samsung apparently wanted to pay lip-service to the horological items that came before watches got smart. It unveiled a handful of concept devices, including one Gear S3-esque device that houses a mechanical Swiss-made movement -- apparently instead of your smartwatch touchscreen. It also had three more typical Gear S3 watches with upgraded build materials -- classier Gear S3 smartwatches. However, my attention was drawn to the device on the far left: a hybrid pocket watch version of the Gear S3 that appears to pair two smaller watch faces with a compass, for bonus ... "innovation" points.
ICYMI: Airbus and Italdesign exhibit a Pop.Up future
Today on In Case You Missed It: Airbus and Italdesign demoed yet another flying car concept at the Geneva Auto Show this week. Dubbed "Pop.Up" the modular and autonomous vehicle can transform from a four-wheeled car to a quadcopter, depending on your destination and habits. The Pop.Up system uses an AI to determine which form will result in the most efficient travel method, and will then attach itself to air or ground pod modules to get you there. While the broader idea is to produce a fleet of Pop.Up's that can be summoned at will by users, the concept faces some significant challenges in actual development such as battery technology and legal regulations.
Airbus unveils an autonomous, modular flying car concept
Flying cars face many obstacles, but one of the biggest is accommodating all the parts needed to both drive and fly -- their designs amount to big, heavy compromises. Airbus and Italdesign want to try something different. They've just unveiled the Pop.Up, an autonomous concept that uses a modular passenger capsule to switch between four-wheeled ground transport and quadcopter flight. All you do is tell the vehicle's AI where to go -- it'll snap on air or ground modules based on both the available routes and your habits. Airbus even floats the possibility of shuttling your capsule through hyperloop tubes when they're available.
VW's 'Sedric' self-driving car could chauffer you or strangers
Volkswagen is planning for the future. Today the automaker laid out its plans for Sedric -- short for "self-driving car" -- a sort of hybrid between car ownership and ride-sharing. The boxy, Level 5 autonomous vehicle (no need for a human driver) is summoned by a remote dubbed "The Button" and from there "a single touch of the button guarantees mobility for everyone, at any time and at any location," according to a press release.
Supercar concept runs on electrolyte fluids
Alternative fuel cars are rarely pulse pounding thrill rides, but NanoFlowcell might have created an exception to the rule. It's teasing the Quant 48Volt, a supercar concept that runs on a combination of positive and negative electrolyte fluids. No, this doesn't mean that you can run it on energy drinks, but it does promise an environmentally friendly vehicle that doesn't compromise on performance or range. Reportedly, the Quant 48Volt's 760HP engine can take it to 62MPH in 2.4 seconds, hit a top speed of 186MPH (arbitrarily limited) and a range of over 621 miles.
Samsung files patent for a bizarre folding smartphone
Samsung has filed a patent with the Korean Intellectural Property Office for a smartphone with a that could be folded in half like a flip phone. The device would also have a secondary screen, presumable on the outside, that's activated when it's folded shut, according to the claims. The screen even has a complex "semiautomatic" powered folding action as one of the options. Of course, patents don't usually lead directly to products, but this one stands out because Samsung is reportedly working on smartphones with bendable OLED screens.
Xiaomi's Mi MIX is all about its gorgeous edge-to-edge display
We're used to surprise announcements at Xiaomi events, but this time, it's a rather special one. After showing off the Mi Note 2, the company unveiled the Mi MIX "concept phone" -- one that's headlining with a cool 6.4-inch, edge-to-edge 1080p LCD (even at the top two round corners, and without using the old optical illusion trick). The high-end device also features glossy, full ceramic body and buttons, with no earpiece or proximity sensor, allowing for a cleaner look on the device's top edge. And, naturally, as the flagship phone it has flagship specs. For a moment there, we were wondering why Xiaomi would spend so much time talking about a concept phone, but then, as a final surprise, we learned it's something people will actually be able to buy.
BMW's motorcycle of the future doesn't require a helmet
BMW has unveiled a slew of concept vehicles to mark its 100th birthday, but its fourth and last example might be the most daring. Its new Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept motorcycle would supposedly be so smart that you wouldn't need a helmet, or even a padded suit. The key would be a self-balancing system that keeps the bike upright whether or not you're moving -- newcomers wouldn't have to worry about toppling over, and veterans could push limits further than usual.
ZTE's crowdsourced gadget competition is down to five
Since August, ZTE has been running an American Idol-style contest where, instead of singers, people are asked to judge the firm's future product development. Users were asked to suggest plausible ideas that the company could create and sell within the next rough year, that folks could then vote on. ZTE took three of those offerings, added a further two from a concept phase, and will now put all five to a very public final vote. Between now and October 19th, you'll be able to select which of the potential candidates you'd like to see built — and hopefully will buy once it hits shelves.
Panasonic's new prototype TV can hide in plain sight
Panasonic has shown off a transparent TV before, but the company has since improved the image quality to the extent that the idea of a television built into your furniture's glass panes is not only possible -- it's right here. The OLED screen is made from a fine mesh, embedded into the glass sliding door. While the TV image is visible even with the backlighting on, once it's dimmed the image is clear and bright enough to be almost indistinguishable from existing televisions. (The last model was a bit too dim, and required under-shelf lighting to boost the image.) Turn the TV panel off, however, and it's hard to tell it was ever there to begin with. Want one? Panasonic's spokesperson says the television is likely to stay in development for a while longer: at least three more years.
