If we were to reach into the fabric of spacetime and pull out a car from the year 2050, it might very well resemble the lemon-shaded concept you see above. Dubbed the Etos (Σtos), the vehicle comes from Swiss think tank and mobility lab Rinspeed, a group known for building zero-emission aquatic cars, robot-driven EVs, and shape-shifting, smartphone-controlled people carriers.
What makes the Etos so progressive? Underneath the custom bodywork lie the carbon fiber and aluminum bones of the BMW i8 — a forward-thinking plug-in hybrid in its own right — and yet the i8 only serves as the starting point for the Etos. To create something even more special, Rinspeed had to go deeper.
The Etos features a fully autonomous mode bolstered by eight HD exterior cameras that constantly track all surrounding objects and people. It automatically links to and communicates with city infrastructure and other vehicles to anticipate slowdowns, and will even monitor cell reception levels to notify occupants of impending dead zones.
If the passenger decides to take the wheel — which electronically extends out of the dashboard to greet the lucky occupant — the vehicle’s gaze-tracking system monitors the occupant’s eyes to reduce redundant alerts and increase safety. Oh, and the Etos comes with its own personalized drone, which can peel off from the vehicle to pick up a bouquet of flowers or take what are likely the best selfies of all time from the air. Once such errands are completed, it returns to its integrated landing platform, which consists of 12,000 individually-controlled LEDs that can also be used as a message board.
Convinced yet?
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