Rinspeed
Etos concept
Switzerland-based
engineering firm Rinspeed, renknowned for its out-of-the-box concept cars
including the underwater-drivable sQuba, has announced a self-driving sports
car concept, the Rinspeed Etos. It will be unveiled at the 2016 Consumer
Electronics Show (2016 CES) that will take place in January 2016. It is the
twenty-second concept to come out of their stable.
The
Etos concept car is purely for show and there are no plans for production yet.
Frank M. Rinderknecht, the founder and CEO of Rinspeed states that “major and
especially the disruptive innovations in future automotive engineering will
come from the digital realm.” The Etos is the Swiss firm’s way of interpreting
the future of automobiles.
Not
much is known about the concept except that it will have a hybrid powertrain
and an ‘autonomous’ mode too. The company claims that the exterior has an
“innovative” surface finish, which is completely alien to car designers. The
rear portion is especially interesting as it houses a landing pad that is used
by a ‘drone’ that comes with the car. This drone, Rinspeed says, can deliver a
bouquet of flowers or take a video of the driver enjoying the car on the
twisties; this video can also be streamed live to friends.
When
the car is put in autonomous mode, the steering wheel will retract into the
dashboard and the two curved windscreens will come closer to provide the
occupants with a better view. Rinspeed has used Harman’s Connected Car
Technologies for its infotainment needs. The company says that “it’s like a
personal assistant that operates in a thinking, courteous and anticipatory
manner to deliver perfect entertainment, connectivity and maximum safety.”
