Say hello to the Mercedes-Benz Vision Duet, a futuristic concept car that shows what premium vehicles could look like when Level 5 autonomous technology becomes a reality. Designed by Lujie Huang as his senior thesis while studying at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, the Vision Duet is a three-seat grand tourer that aims to offer a new kind of road trip experience with a very innovative design.
Huang believes that through the shift to
electrification and full autonomy, there will be a change in the grand touring
experience from a driver-focused into a riding-focused one. With that in mind,
the Vision Duet lacks any traditional controls like a steering wheel or pedals
and instead has two comfortable, forward-facing seats and a large table in the
center of the cabin. When the vehicle is parked, the glass roof can slide back
and a third seat up front can be used. The designer was heavily inspired by the
seating layout of leisure boats in creating the Vision Duet.
From the outside, the concept looks unlike any current Mercedes-Benz, but that’s no bad thing. Up front, it has a distinctive grille with a large three-pointed star, while the implementation of an electric powertrain has also allowed for an exceptionally short front overhang. There are also a set of small headlights connected by an LED light bar, and at the rear there’s an LED light bar and a sleek and sculptural bumper.
