The German luxury automaker Mercedez-Benz revealed the car first in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show in 2020. It’s called The Mercedes AVTR, a futuristic car that’s been inspired by the Sci-Fi movie “AVATAR”.
Source: Daimler/Mercedes-Benz
Why is it so special?
It is one of the rare cars that feels like it’s alive. There is no steering wheel. Yes, that’s right, absolutely no steering wheel, instead, the car is controlled by the center console or by your brain. This also means that the car can be driven from both the ‘driver’ and the ‘passenger’ seat. Each of the wheels has the ability to turn 30* degrees, giving it a crab-walk effect. Since its also fully electric, it is automatically an eco-friendly car. Although the inside looks luxurious, the seats are made from Vegan Leather. The interior front panel comes from an invasive tree root, that’s been repurposed by Mercedes-Benz for sustainability. Mercedes-Benz has managed to combine luxury with sustainability. The back of the car is also completely unique, but more on that later. The car is approaching you with the interface instead of the user having to interact with the car. It gives you options via projection.
When you first place your hand on the center column the whole interior comes alive and it recognizes the driver by using some sensors and scanners. The center column actually goes up and down to represent that it’s ‘breathing’. The car starts to make a heartbeat noise and you can feel the heartbeat through your seat, as it tries to make it feel like the car has come alive. Mercedes’s own assistant greets you when you get in the car. The main software being used at the moment is called MBUX. In the near future, the concept car is planned to be able to do autonomous driving. The car plans to seamlessly merge man and machine allowing humans to perform “intuitive interaction“ with the car.
The Concept Car Mercedes AVTR has had an unbelievable update recently. Mercedes-Benz has designed a new sort of device that uses brain wavelength to control the concept car. It’s called BCI (Brain-Computer Interface).
Why is BCI so important?
In medical research, for example, BCI applications are considered a viable option for helping people with physical handicaps to become more independent. Mercedes-Benz is now integrating the first BCI approaches into its pioneering VISION AVTR concept vehicle. The way it works is by concentrating on a symbol on the dash. Right after the Cortex reacts, the BCI device measures and analysis brainwaves. After it calculates it sends a signal to the onboard computer. Then the computer performs the intended function that the user has thought of. Although, it depends on how much the user focuses, the higher and stronger the focus the more neuronal activity.
The Back
The back of the car is the most striking portion. No need for a back window, then. It has something better instead. Patched on the roof are 33 scales that can move individually. “Bionic Flaps” are the name Mercedes gives to these Pangolin-like scales. The action of the car causes these flaps to move and change colors. When the car is in a relaxed situation it rests completely flat. However, the main function of these flaps are to help with aerodynamics, expressions and communication.
The disadvantages
If this car does go on production, there will be some problems with the law. In some countries only having the steering wheel on the left is allowed and vise versa for the other countries. While the steering concept is spectacular it has its own disadvantages, such as you will not be able to turn the exact degree you want like you can do on a steering wheel. Its not precise.
Mercedes hasn’t revealed the top speed of the car yet but claims it has a range of 700 km in one charge.
Final Thoughts
Its a very cool concept that’s slowly becoming alive, there could be a lot of advtanges in the future with the BCI technology. Though we don’t know how safe the car in general is, because it hasn’t passed thru Euro Ncap yet. They might make a few limited of these cars. Sadly if they do that, not everyone is going to be able to afford it.
Mercedes is taking the industry and innovating their own category. Creating a new type of a vehicle. The strategy is to not fight the competition but to make their own product.
Sources:
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/09/photos-mercedes-benzs-concept-car-inspired-by-avatar.html
https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/vehicles/passenger-cars/mercedes-benz-concept-cars/vision-avtr/
https://www.media.daimler.pl/mercedes-benz-vision-avtr-obsuga-interfejsu-uzytkownika-z-moca-mysli/
BCI really looks like it’s the new major step in new technologies. I’m just very curious about how they will test products such as cars, planes, etc… ( I won’t be trying it first haha)
I’m sure they will at least be adding doors. kinda essential element of a car)