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11 crazy concept cars already unveiled in 2017
Volkswagen
Concept cars are only getting crazier.
As automakers invest more heavily in self-driving tech and artificial intelligence, they’re using bizarre concepts to showcase their vision for future production models. Concept cars tend to be packed with features you may not see for decades, but they provide an interesting glance at where the auto industry is heading.
Scroll down for some of the crazier concepts we’ve seen this year so far:
1. Fiat Chrysler unveiled a concept car geared for high-tech millennials at CES this year. The car isn’t all that eye-catching purely from an aesthetic perspective. It’s large, boxy, and heavy looking.
But the car is really meant to showcase what tech-oriented millennials are looking for inside a car, FCA said. It’s electric with 250 miles of range and gets just over 50% of its charge back in under 20 minutes with a DC Fast Charger.
It also comes with lidar and sensors to handle Level 3 autonomous driving, meaning it can handle urban environments, but it still requires human oversight.
2. As for an even crazier concept car, Rinspeed showed off its Oasis car at CES. The vehicle has an actual garden, complete with Bonsai trees and radishes.
The garden is tucked right behind the windshield.
Inside, the concept has a massive touchscreen display from Harman that accommodates voice and gesture control. The vehicle can also alert you of upcoming obstacles with a heads-up display on the windshield.
Rinspeed envisions the car as a ride-sharing vehicle, where a person can select which passenger to ride with through a Tinder-like app.
You can read more about the car here.
3. Honda first showed teaser images of its NeuV concept car in December, but it officially made its debut at CES.
Honda said the car is self-driving and electric, but didn’t share any detailed specifications on those fronts.
The NeuV uses artificial intelligence to “read human emotions” and improve the driving experience.
You can read more about the car here.
4. Volkswagen unveiled a high-tech version of its classic microbus. The electric, revamped Hippie-mobile can drive 270 miles on a single charge.
Volkswagen said the vehicle is equipped with lidar, radar, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors, making it fully autonomous.
The concept also comes with other innovative features, like a tablet you can remove from the console and use outside. The driver can also open the car by approaching it with his or her smartphone.
You can read more about the microbus concept here.
5. Toyota showed off a concept car at CES that wants to be your best friend (sort of like Honda’s NeuV). The vehicle has an AI assistant named Yui that’s designed to engage you in tasks, like a conversation, so you stay focused while driving.
The concept doesn’t have any touchscreens, but it comes with a heads-up display.
It also comes with other fun touches, like scissor doors and headlights that can wink at you.
You can read more about Toyota’s concept car here.
6. BMW’s latest concept car is meant to display the automaker’s vision for future car interiors.
BMW thinks car interiors will be roomier in the future. The concept has enough space to fit a bookshelf!
The vehicle also comes with a massive display for sitting back and relaxing while the car does the driving for you.
You can read more about the concept here.
7. Nissan showed off its VMotion concept at the Detroit Auto Show. It has a very stunning, geometrical design.
Check out those scissor doors!
The vehicle showcases Nissan’s ProPilot system that allows vehicles to drive autonomously on highways at speeds up to 62 mph.
Inside, there’s a massive, horizontal display that consolidates the driver’s instrument and infotainment center.
You can take a closer look at the VMotion here.
8. Citroen unveiled its C-Aircross concept SUV earlier in February. Citroen said it purposefully went for a “modern” body style with curved lines and strong splashes of color.
It comes with a full-color heads-up display and a single spoke steering wheel.
Cameras replace the two side-view mirrors to stream surrounding views directly on the rearview mirror. The concept also comes with a panoramic sunroof.
9. Volkswagen unveiled a concept version of its large Atlas SUV in February. The SUV comes with a cargo box that can expand into a 17.7 cubic-foot container.
It has three rows of seats to fit seven passengers.
There’s plenty of room in the trunk for a weekend getaway!
10. Airbus unveiled a concept car called the Pop.Up that can be airlifted by a drone. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the vehicle is an 8-foot-long pod that can detach from a battery-powered chassis when picked up by a drone.
The drone itself is autonomous and powered by 8 rotors. Airbus designed the system with Italdesign, a design and engineering company.
You can read more about the concept here.
11. Volkswagen Group unveiled a concept called Sedric that’s more of a personal assistant than a car. The boxy vehicle with giant OLED eyes can pick up packages and drop off kids at extracurricular activities.
Sedric is a Level 5 autonomous vehicle, meaning it can drive in any geographic area without driver supervision.
You can read more about Sedric here.
The post 11 crazy concept cars already unveiled in 2017 appeared first on Business Insider.
