Rinspeed Etos sports car drives itself
Swiss hybrid concept car showcases latest autopilot and adds drone tech to boot!Ultra-niche car maker Rinspeed has revealed its latest creation, the Etos sports car, a high-performance exotic with its own helipad! Well… sort of.
To be presented at the world's home of risk-taking, Las Vegas, during Consumer Electronics Show or CES in January 2016, the Etos is the first concept car from the company to premiere outside of Switzerland.
It boasts the ability to drive itself and even record the journey from above via its drone partner.
As the 22nd concept vehicle to emerge from Rinspeed's 'Innovation Lab', which is known for its wild and wacky designs – including the BamBoo buggy, MicroMAX bus and aqueous Splash – the Etos features some serious tech, including an autopilot function that is intuitive, adaptive and 'capable of learning' says the company.
To create an even more alien feeling, autopilot mode has the steering wheel fold into the dashboard, as two curved widescreens move closer so occupants can be better entertained on their journey.
Etos adopts Harman Connected Car technologies, which are said to function as a personal assistant and can behave in an 'anticipatory manner'.
Aviation buffs will no doubt enjoy the accompanying drone, which has its own landing pad on the rear of the Etos concept. The idea of being driven autonomously while sending your drone down to the shops to grab the bread and milk is disruptive enough, but the drone taking 'video of the wild ride on the favourite fun road and stream[ing] it live to friends!', as quoted in the press release, is disturbing from a safety standpoint.
Strip away the hyperbole (Rinspeed refers to itself as a 'powerhouse of ideas' and its boss Frank M. Rinderknecht as a 'car visionary' and a 'visionary and magician') and the Etos should still attract plenty of attention at the electronics trade show once dominated by smartphones and TVs with its futuristic design.
However the company is yet to reveal what sort of hybrid engine powers the svelte sports car.
Guests at CES are invited to touch the Etos, for it incorporates 'special innovative surface finishes that are still completely alien to car designers', though no further detail on those surfaces is provided.
Perhaps the larger question is: Why a driverless sports car?
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
