In
the coming decades, vehicles are expected to become totally autonomous,
removing humans from driving responsibilities. One thing we don’t expect to
change, however, is the love car enthusiasts have for going fast. This concept,
dubbed the Lincoln Perceiver, aims to combine self-driving technologies with
blistering straight-line performance.
The
study, created by Sebastiano Ciarcià , has an exterior design unlike any vehicle
currently on the market and is focused largely on aerodynamics. Most notably,
the front wheels are totally hidden under sharp bodywork so the Perceiver cuts
through the air which then flows over the sleek roofline and glass cabin.
As
the Lincoln drives itself, there are no traditional controls in the cabin like
pedals or a steering wheel. This means occupants have an unimpeded view out of
the windshield that stretches over their heads and right down to foot-level.
CiarciÃ
refers to the car as an autonomous Hyper Cruiser. In some ways, it could be
considered as the next-iteration of the hyper-GT, a term recently coined to
refer to exceptionally fast and luxurious vehicles like the McLaren Speedtail.
While
we’d love to see performance-focused autonomous vehicles eventually hit the
roads, right now it might prove a challenge convincing consumers that being a
passenger in a vehicle that could perhaps exceed 400 km/h would be a
good idea. Make no mistake, though; self-driving cars are coming sooner or
later, and we’ll all be relegated to the role of mere passengers. Better enjoy
it while we still can, then.