Holograms, force fields and artificial intelligences will define the cars of the future. Which will be, as emerged from the recent American motor shows, strictly sustainable. Here is what awaits us.
The CES in Las Vegas and the Naias in Detroit are the two events that traditionally open the automotive year and offer a window onto the four-wheeled technologies of tomorrow. The first, originally conceived as a consumer electronics showcase, has now become a conquest ground for car manufacturers, while the second motor show plays a leading role thanks to the importance of the American market, which, by virtue of its volumes and centrality, is capable of influencing global trends. The real difference between the two events lies, however, in their relationship with reality: in Las Vegas you dream, in Detroit you build. And in both cases only one language is spoken — not English, but the universal language of sustainability. Alternative powertrains, with electric leading the way, are an indispensable must. So much so that, for the first time in history, a zero-emission model — the new Chevrolet Bolt EV — has been named "car of the year" in the United States.
From the Fiat-Chrysler Group's first electric self-driving car to the zero-emission micro car priced at under €10,000, from the announcement of the imminent hybridisation of the Ford Mustang and F-150 — icons of American motoring — to the transformation of vehicles into personal assistants for the driver, the world of low-emission cars swings between future and present as well as, in certain cases, between dream and reality. To the point of going beyond ordinary tactile experiences, given that in the coming years it will be possible to feel sensations even without physical contact. This is thanks to the revolutionary force fields that Bmw, Bosch and Toyota promise to create inside vehicles. The cabin of future models is, after all, less oriented towards driving — which is often autonomous — and better suited to being converted into a living room, office or control centre from which to manage, for example, the appliances of a smart home. The barriers between real and virtual collapse, as do those between different environments; the car of tomorrow will not be a simple means of transport, but a perpetually connected organisational tool. Sustainable, of course.
Here are the main highlights on show at the Las Vegas and Detroit motor shows, which closed just a few days ago.
It previews a production model expected in dealerships in 2018 and is a coupé SUV set to sit at the very top of Audi's crossover range. Traditional instrumentation gives way to a new head-up display — the system that projects information across the windscreen — which harnesses augmented reality by combining images captured by cameras with virtual ones.
An SUV, yes, but an eco-friendly one. Under the bonnet of the German show car lies a plug-in hybrid powertrain — meaning it is fitted with batteries rechargeable via a standard power socket — producing 449 hp. This very high output is paired with a range of at least 50 kilometres in purely electric mode and four-wheel drive.
The German marque casts its gaze far ahead, to a future in which autonomous driving and the electric car will be fully integrated into every person's digital life. Making its debut is the HoloActive Touch screen, an evolution of common gesture-control interfaces, which delivers tactile feedback — in the form of vibration — via buttons and selectors even without any physical contact. This is made possible by an ultrasound source and the projection of holograms in place of conventional information displays.
Thanks to autonomous driving, the traditional cabin gives way to a mobile environment that can be transformed into an office or living room depending on the needs of the moment. And when it comes to entertainment, revolutionary "sound curtains" will make it possible to enjoy multimedia content — such as watching a film — without disturbing or being disturbed by the other passengers.
The autonomous Bosch concept follows the path laid out by Bmw and marks the debut of innovative gesture controls with haptic feedback — meaning they are capable of returning a tactile sensation even without actual contact. A refinement made possible by the generation of a force field that allows virtual buttons and dials to be felt, "projecting" sensations onto the fingers, and which is accompanied by biometric technology for driver recognition.
Dedicated to hi-tech solutions, the car becomes a personal assistant that, by recognising the user via special cameras, adapts every option — from music to climate control — to the individual's preferences. Constantly connected, the German show car communicates with home appliances and allows a smart home to be managed remotely.
At the Detroit Motor Show, the compact electric Chevrolet Bolt EV was named "car of the year" in the United States. It is the first time a zero-emissions model has earned the prestigious accolade. An award linked to the American manufacturer's desire to offer a sustainable vehicle at an accessible price, with the list price in the States starting at just under 30,000 dollars, equivalent to approximately 27,600 euros.
A close relative of the battery-powered Opel Ampera-e MPV, sold in Europe, and set to reach American dealerships in spring, the new Bolt EV can count on 200 hp and a real-world range of 320 kilometres, while the batteries can be charged to 80 per cent in 45 minutes.
The Portal concept is Fiat-Chrysler's first self-driving electric car. Built on a dedicated platform intended for the development of the Italian-American Group's future zero-emissions vehicles, it focuses on a design that breaks with the past and on exceptional interior brightness.
The doors open by sliding outwards, while the smartphone becomes the absolute protagonist, as it communicates constantly with the car and, through facial recognition, allows every on-board function to be personalised to each individual's preferences. Level 3 autonomous driving requires the driver to remain alert in order to handle emergency situations. It features a 100 kWh battery and can count on a range of 400 kilometres.
Visually similar to the Renault Twizy micro car, it is a compact electric quadricycle. Just 2.25 metres long, it offers two conventional side-by-side seats in the cabin — the Twizy, by contrast, features a tandem seating arrangement — and boasts an aluminium frame that keeps the weight down to 350 kg.
Designed for urban mobility, it uses an electric motor of just over 5 hp and covers on average up to 120 kilometres per charge. Presented in prototype form, it is close to going on sale at a price that promises to be decidedly competitive: under 10,000 euros.
Part saloon, part coupé, part SUV, the Californian self-driving electric car openly challenges Tesla, backed by an unconventional design and a zero-emissions powertrain producing no less than 1,050 hp. A monstrous output that, combined with electronically managed all-wheel drive, delivers