The Mercedes Vision AVTR Is Inspired By A 10-Year-Old Film For Some Reason
In a move that’s likely to prompt prolific posting of the ‘WHAT YEAR IS IT?’ meme, Mercedes has built a concept car in collaboration with the team behind a film released in 2009.
As you might have gathered from the Vision AVTR name, Mercedes’ showpiece for the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show riffs off James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar. This doesn’t, so far as we can see, mean that the AVTR has enough headroom to accommodate a fully-grown Na’vi. However, Mercedes does say that the vehicle is “inspired by the world of Pandora”.
Referencing the slightly creepy tail-connecting thing between the Na’vi and various animals in the film, you control to AVTR not using a conventional steering wheel, instead via a “biometric connection”. When hands are placed on a control unit, the interior “comes to life,”
with the car recognising the driver “by his or her heartbeat and breathing”. Mercedes says this “allows human and machine to merge”.
You even sit in something designed to resemble the ‘leaf hammocks’ of Home Tree, which was the Na’vi’s crib. Until [spoiler alert] Giovani Ribisi had it knocked down. Up front, meanwhile, is a centre console which is supposed to look like the Soul Tree. Which [spoiler alert] Giovani Ribisi also had knocked down.
The swooping “one-bow” body includes 33 “bionic flaps” at the rear, like reptile scales. They make “naturally flowing movements in subtle gestures”. Whether or not they can convey your displeasure at the middle-lane hogger you’ve just passed, we’re not sure.
The near-spherical wheels allow for a super-tight turning circle and mean that the AVTR can move diagonally, rather like a crab. This apparently gives the vehicles an “animal-like appearance even in its movement”. Right.
The powertrain is pure science fiction territory, with the AVTR propelled by recycled “organic battery technology”. The (theoretical) 110kWh pack is made up of “graphene-based organic cell chemistry” with not a drop of rare metal used in its construction. Nope, not even Pandora-mined unobtanium. The numbers are a little more down to Earth, though - the AVTR develops 465bhp and has a range of 435 miles.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
The Avatar made me think if we could understand the car’s suspension, handling, braking bias and tire tempareture and handle the car like our body. This concept is different, but atleast someone made a start.
why are cars going to be so ugly in the future?
Because there are no more good designs left
holy mother of god that is hideous
It’s controversial? Yes a little, does it look bad? Maybe, it’s like someone designed this in the late 90’s when bubbles were the trend, but my question is, how does it open that bubble shaped door?
I think you have to use your tail to interface with it or something. The real question is, where does the door go?
so, which one’s the filler door?
looks life a porcupine at the back
Hello everyone I am giving a testimony on how I joined the illuminati brotherhood, I was trying to join this organization for so many years now,I was scammed by fake agents in south Africa and Nigeria,I was down,I could not feed my self and my family anymore and I tried to make money by all miss but all invail, I was afraid to contact any illuminati agent because they have eat my money,One day I come across a post of someone giving a testimony, thanking a man called Berry ROYMOND of being helping him to join the illuminati brotherhood, then I look at the man phone number that was written there, it was a nigeria number I was afraid to contact him because a nigerian agent took my $2000 and go away with the money then I was very tired, confused and I decided to contact the person that was given the testimony and i called him and I communicated with him on phone calls before he started telling me his own story about when he wanted to join, he told me everything to do, then I made up my mind and called the agent called Berry ROYMOND and he told me everything to do, and I was initiated, surprisingly I was given my benefit of being a new member of the great illuminati brotherhood I was so happy, For those of you trying to join this organization this is your opportunity for you to join CONTACT BERRY ROYMOND call (+2348035784085)