← Sony Vision-S
The biggest surprise at CES was that Sony displayed a car, a
battery-electric vehicle called the Vision-S. Don’t expect it to go into
production, though. It’s really a showcase for Sony technologies with
an automotive application, like solid-state lidar and CMOS imaging
sensors. In total, 33 sensors ring the vehicle to provide the data
needed for autonomous driving. While the tech takes the wheel,
passengers are treated to a front and individual rear displays paired
with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio sound system. Sony didn’t provide
technical specs of any kind. We know it’s an EV, but that’s about it.Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR
The Vision AVTR is inspired by and linked to the Avatar movie fran-
chise, which is getting a second installment 12 years after everyone
stopped talking about the first one. Mercedes hitched its wagen to
this star because the movies touch on sustainability, environmental
preservation, and a connection between human and machine, the
exact themes designers toyed with when dreaming up the AV TR
concept. The car is controlled by a big nub on the center console that
works like a joystick. There are no buttons or even screens for you to
poke. Everything is projected onto the dash and center console from
the ceiling and manipulated by a virtual controller projected onto the
palm of your hand and activated by gesture controls. The “wheels”
have a skinny contact patch to minimize their footprint but can tilt
onto their convex sides and allow the car to crab walk, if you needed
to for some reason. More conventionally, a compostable organic cell
chemistry battery gives the car a 400-mile range.Fisker Ocean
Boutique alternative-fuel carmaker Fisker has unveiled its first-
ever fully electric SUV. The compact model has mass-production
aspirations and an overtly environmentally conscious vibe.
Roughly the size of a Chevrolet Equinox, it rides on a new EV
platform with a roughly 80-kW-hr battery capable of 250 to 300
miles of range. A rooftop solar panel is claimed to add up to 1,
miles of driving range over the course of a year (color us skeptical).
Fisker claims the standard two-wheel-drive model will have 300
hp, and a performance all-wheel-drive model with more power
will hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. Inside, the interior is mostly made
of recycled materials. Its party piece is a 16.0-inch center screen,
matched with a 9.8-inch screen for the instrument cluster and a
head-up display. Another neat feature: the ability to lower every
piece of glass save the windshield. It’s promised to start at $37,
when it goes on sale in 2022, but you can put down a $250 deposit
today if you’re so inclined, or wait and lease it at $379 per month
with $2,999 down.
Hyundai Mobis M-Vision S
Hyundai’s in-house Tier I parts supplier Hyundai Mobis ginned up an
autonomous transportation pod concept that can, in a pinch, be
manually driven. This M-Vision S is also a real communicator—both to
occupants inside and pedestrians outside the car. Different colored
lighting, sounds, digital signboards, and headlamps that project
images and words on the ground all help the M-Vision S communi-
cate the vehicle’s intentions to the outside world, especially when it’s
being manually driven. Doing so moves the driver’s seat into position
and disgorges a handlebar steering system from the dash. Most of
the time, though, the computer will do the driving while you work or
play with the screens inside the vehicle, all of which are controlled by
gestures. As you might expect, a digital assistant recognizes you with
a facial scan, links automatically to your phone, and suggests vehicle
functions based on ever y thing from your calendar to your mood.APRIL 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 17Honda Augmented Driving Concept
This cute little roofless thing is an autonomous vehicle
that lets you pretend to drive—though it won’t let you get yourself
into trouble. It won’t remind you too much of driving in the good
old days because there are no pedals: You push forward on
the steering wheel to accelerate and pull back to decelerate
or brake. You can also pass the steering wheel from left to right
to swap “drivers” while in motion. In autonomous driving mode,
swiping across the steering wheel will initiate a lane change. The
fully encased wheels are a question mark, though a video Honda
produced shows the car with normal tires. Although the car recalls
the adorable Honda E, it wasn’t designed by the same person.