A scene on a German autobahn in the year 2010: a limousine is travelling in the fast lane at 150 kilometres an hour. Suddenly a truck pulls out in front of it. The limousine sharply reduces its speed to 115 kilometres an hour – but the driver has taken no action. He merely reads the speed on the panel in front of his eyes.
Another message on the panel announces the arrival of an email. This is the driving world of the future as portrayed in the Automechanika and Autofutura exhibitions.
The innovations show that the passengers of the future will be able to travel much more comfortably – and get entertained on the way.
Tired front-seat passengers will be able to bury their heads in a ”sound cushion” and listen to the distant sounds of the sea through an integrated loudspeaker.
In the back seat, children will be able to watch television integrated in the back of the front-seat headrest or paint with their fingers on specially treated seat upholstery.
Motoring should not only become easier and more enjoyable but also safer, the makers of the gadgetry claim. Sensors determine if pedestrians or other cars come too close and automatically apply the brakes. If a collision seems unavoidable, the seat belts automatically tighten around the wearer.
Infra-red technology enables the driver to see on a monitor what is happening 200 yards away at night even when he is blinded by oncoming headlights.
A sign in front of a car with a multi-media interior says: ”Work in the car just as in the firm”. Laptops fitted into the rear of the front seats can be folded out. A television screen can be lowered from the roof. A DVD player is built in to a central console. A digital panel shows the driver when emails have arrived.
Before the trip, the occupants have the choice of setting the navigation system to ”avoid tailbacks”, to ”connect with public transport” or to ”accept tailbacks”. The driver can make the adjustment from a switch on the steering wheel.
Blinking left or right will be activated simply by applying firm pressure on the left or right of the steering wheel. Activating a small switch at thumb level turns on the radio or telephone.
The manufacturers’ catalogue reassures that everything is being done to enable the driver can keep his or her eyes on the road.
And that view of the road will always be crystal clear: the windscreen of the future will clean itself. – Sapa-DPA