If there was one, star attraction at CES this year, arguably it was vehicles. Vendors, including Ford, Toyota. Volkswagen, and Nissan gave CES attendees a look into the cars of the very near future.
Artificial intelligence is the power behind the new crop of autonomous, assistive vehicles. These cars not only self-drive, they can read your emotions, make snap decisions in the presence of danger on the road, and can even tell you about the flora and fauna at your destination site.
As one Toyota engineer said during a press event, “It’s now about creating a relationship between people and their cars,” In fact, Toyota built its smart, self-driving car with the Japanese concept of “Aisha: meaning “Beloved Car.”
Take a look at the most jaw-dropping vehicles on display at CES that are slated to go to market within the next 5-10 years.
Volkswagen:
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Volkswagen’s concept car, the I.D. is a connected electric car that can also drive in fully autonomous mode. At CES, Volkswagen demonstrated it for the first time to the American public, with the vehicle’s full experience brought to life via virtual reality. The production version of the I.D. is planned to launch as early as 2020, with plans for fully autonomous driving by 2025. The car’s autonomy, named I.D. Pilot, is activated by touching the VW logo on the steering wheel, signaling it to disappear into the instrument panel.
The car has many human-vehicle interaction features. Upon approaching the front of the car, the car’s front bumper lights, “smile” at the person and its eye-like headlights open and follow the human as she walks back and forth in the front of the vehicle.
Honda NeuV:
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Honda’s NeuV stands for New Electric Urban Vehicle. According to Honda, the NeuV, “explores the idea of how to create new value for its owner by functioning as an automated ride-sharing vehicle, picking up and dropping off customers at local destinations when the owner is not using the car.” The NeuV is also a smart assistant. It can “check on the driver’s emotional well-being, make music recommendations based on mood, and support the owner’s daily driving routine.”
Mitsubishi:
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Mitsubishi’s sleek concept car features the company’s advanced, 3-D mobile mapping system. The system, called MMS-G220, is a “highly accurate measuring system using car-mounted GPS antennas, laser scanners, and cameras. The system gathers 3-D positioning data of road surfaces and roadside features to an absolute accuracy of 4 inches, allowing the creation of comprehensive 3-D maps to the level of accuracy needed to support autonomous driving.”
Mercedes:
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The Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe is not a concept car, but actually on the market. It’s loaded with high-tech features including voice-control, in-car Wi-Fi, Head-Up Display, in-dash SD card reader, automatic collision prevention, and more.
Nissan:
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Nissan’s concept vehicle showcased the manufacturer’s Intelligent Mobility platform. With it, Nissan’s car will have several autonomous capabilities including Intelligent Around-View Monitor and Intelligent Lane Intervention. The technology will also have zero-emission mobility, reducing pollution and increasing fuel economy.
Toyota:
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Truly something out of science fiction, this is less of a vehicle and more of a mobile, robot friend. Toyota’s Concept-i is powered by the latest in Toyota innovation, the artificial intelligence (AI) platform called “Yui.” You don’t just drive this car (or let it drive). You interact with it.
Yui is far more than software, it’s a personality. The AI acts as an interpreter between human and vehicle. With Yui, the Concept-i can self-drive, brake for you when manually driving, and can even tell you how you are feeling while you are driving.