Automotive

Wearable mind-controlled flying racecar wins LA Auto Show Design Challenge

Wearable mind-controlled flying racecar wins LA Auto Show Design Challenge
Infiniti USA's Synaptiq concept has won the People's Choice public vote at the 2014 LA Auto Show Design Challenge
Infiniti USA's Synaptiq concept has won the People's Choice public vote at the 2014 LA Auto Show Design Challenge
View 70 Images
Infiniti USA's Synaptiq concept has won the People's Choice public vote at the 2014 LA Auto Show Design Challenge
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Infiniti USA's Synaptiq concept has won the People's Choice public vote at the 2014 LA Auto Show Design Challenge
The Synaptiq in buggy mode
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The Synaptiq in buggy mode
The Synaptiq in flight mode
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The Synaptiq in flight mode
A front view of the Synaptiq
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A front view of the Synaptiq
Explanatory diagrams of the Synaptiq
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Explanatory diagrams of the Synaptiq
A rendering of the Synaptiq in buggy mode
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A rendering of the Synaptiq in buggy mode
A front-side view of the Synaptiq
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A front-side view of the Synaptiq
The three different modes of the Synaptiq
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The three different modes of the Synaptiq
The Synaptiq in race mode
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The Synaptiq in race mode
A rear-side view of the Synaptiq
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A rear-side view of the Synaptiq
A side view of the Synaptiq
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A side view of the Synaptiq
A rear view of the Synaptiq
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A rear view of the Synaptiq
A front view of the Synaptiq in race mode
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A front view of the Synaptiq in race mode
The Synaptiq on a public road
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The Synaptiq on a public road
The Synaptiq's lights glowing on the road
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The Synaptiq's lights glowing on the road
A rear-side rendering of the Synaptiq
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A rear-side rendering of the Synaptiq
The Synaptiq's aerodynamics
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The Synaptiq's aerodynamics
The Synaptiq SUIT
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The Synaptiq SUIT
The Synaptiq user interface
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The Synaptiq user interface
Driving metrics of the Synaptiq
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Driving metrics of the Synaptiq
The Synaptiq's ARC race route
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The Synaptiq's ARC race route
The Synaptiq's three different forms
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The Synaptiq's three different forms
The Synaptiq's air transfer
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The Synaptiq's air transfer
The different user interfaces for the Synaptiq's three different setups
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The different user interfaces for the Synaptiq's three different setups
The Synaptiq cockpit
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The Synaptiq cockpit
A view from the rear of the Synaptiq
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A view from the rear of the Synaptiq
The exteriour GUI of the Synaptiq
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The exteriour GUI of the Synaptiq
Renderings of the Synaptiq
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Renderings of the Synaptiq
The Synaptiq from above
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The Synaptiq from above
The Synaptic in its buggy setup
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The Synaptic in its buggy setup
The Synaptiq in its flight setup
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The Synaptiq in its flight setup
The Synaptiq's g-force countering
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The Synaptiq's g-force countering
The Synaptiq's holographic display
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The Synaptiq's holographic display
Honda's CARpet concept
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Honda's CARpet concept
The Honda ball
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The Honda ball
The CARpet's flexible interior carpet
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The CARpet's flexible interior carpet
The CARpet focuses on user interaction
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The CARpet focuses on user interaction
User's can shape the interior of the CARpet
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User's can shape the interior of the CARpet
Users can control the CARpet with the Honda ball is
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Users can control the CARpet with the Honda ball is
The interior carpet changes shape
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The interior carpet changes shape
The interior of the CARpet is designed to be adaptable
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The interior of the CARpet is designed to be adaptable
The CARpet's interior can changed to suit the situation
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The CARpet's interior can changed to suit the situation
Honda's Acura Human / Machine Interface Concept
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Honda's Acura Human / Machine Interface Concept
The structure of the Acura concept
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The structure of the Acura concept
The inner and outer mesh of the Acura concept
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The inner and outer mesh of the Acura concept
The Acura concept's morphing surfaces
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The Acura concept's morphing surfaces
The touch reactive material of the Acura concept
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The touch reactive material of the Acura concept
The interior of the Acura concept
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The interior of the Acura concept
The "sleek" exterior of the Acura concept
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The "sleek" exterior of the Acura concept
The Qoros Qloud Qubed concept explained
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The Qoros Qloud Qubed concept explained
Drawings of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
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Drawings of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
Drawings of the Qoros Qloud Qubed vehicle exterior
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Drawings of the Qoros Qloud Qubed vehicle exterior
A breakdown of the Qoros Qloud Qubed concept
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A breakdown of the Qoros Qloud Qubed concept
The Qoros Qloud Qubed autonomous mode
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The Qoros Qloud Qubed autonomous mode
The ten states of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
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The ten states of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
The five senses of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
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The five senses of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
The Qoros Qloud Qubed interaction system
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The Qoros Qloud Qubed interaction system
The Qoros Qloud Qubed identity
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The Qoros Qloud Qubed identity
A rendering of the Qoros Qloud Qubed vehicle
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A rendering of the Qoros Qloud Qubed vehicle
A front view of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
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A front view of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
A rear-side view of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
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A rear-side view of the Qoros Qloud Qubed
The Peterbilt SymbiotUX explained
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The Peterbilt SymbiotUX explained
The Peterbilt SymbiotUX user experience
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The Peterbilt SymbiotUX user experience
Background to the Peterbilt SymbiotUX
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Background to the Peterbilt SymbiotUX
An explanation of the Peterbilt SymbiotUX
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An explanation of the Peterbilt SymbiotUX
The different states of the Peterbilt SymbiotUX
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The different states of the Peterbilt SymbiotUX
Interaction with the Peterbilt SymbiotUX
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Interaction with the Peterbilt SymbiotUX
The Peterbilt SymbiotUX's truck pilot mode
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The Peterbilt SymbiotUX's truck pilot mode
The Peterbilt SymbiotUX's off-duty pilot mode
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The Peterbilt SymbiotUX's off-duty pilot mode
The Peterbilt SymbiotUX's passive occupants mode
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The Peterbilt SymbiotUX's passive occupants mode
View gallery - 70 images

If you were asked to design the perfect car, its attributes might include being fast, adaptable and controllable with your thoughts. And, needless to say, it would be able to fly. Infiniti USA has packed all of these features into its People's Choice winning entry for this year's LA Auto Show Design Challenge.

The Design Challenge never fails to provide participants with outlandish future concepts to explore. Previous contests have focused on Hollywood movie cars, patrol vehicles and biomimicry. This year's contest asked for designs that consider how humans will interact with cars in 2029. As ever, the only things more abstract than the theme itself are the actual submissions.

"This year’s entries are particularly compelling because they offer insight into what our vehicles are capable of," says designer and industry expert Chuck Pelly, in a press release. "This year is a turning point for connected car technology and it’s fascinating to see how far we could get in the next 15 years."

The three different modes of the Synaptiq
The three different modes of the Synaptiq

Participants used the theme to predict how future technology will enable cars to better connect with our senses and "create a more human-like relationship" with us. Entries focused in particular on the car interior and how it will help people to integrate with their vehicle.

Infiniti's design was by far the most radical of this year's entries (which is no small achievement in itself) and this was reflected in its People's Choice public vote triumph. Synaptiq is envisioned as a "wearable" cockpit and human-machine interface created specifically to compete in Infiniti's own Air, Rally, Circuit (ARC) triathlon race series. The Synaptiq's "Symbiotic User Interface Technology" (SUIT) connects the vehicle to the driver's thoughts via a spinal lock attachment, which suspends the driver in the driving position.

The Synaptiq can be switched between three different external vehicle casings that are designed for the different stages of the ARC race. For the first stretch, from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, the car takes the form of an F1-type racer. The second stage is a desert race to the Grand Canyon, for which the Synaptiq cockpit dons a buggy-type vehicle exterior. The final stage requires the Synaptiq to become an air racer for a gymkhana-style contest through virtual pylons back to LA.

Honda's CARpet concept
Honda's CARpet concept

The winner of the judges' vote was the "CARpet" (Henceforth Carpet) from Honda Advanced Design Tokyo. The Carpet aims to create a morphing interior. It is a fully-autonomous vehicle with two main elements: a flexible interior carpet and a "Honda Ball." The flexible carpet allows passengers to shape the car's interior to meet the preferences of those inside. The ball, meanwhile, allows users to interact with it via voice, touch and gesture to control the vehicle and its features.

A second Honda entry came from its R&D Americas arm. The Acura Human / Machine Interface Concept is similar to the Carpet, in that it allows those in the car to shape the interior. The interior is made of fabric-like material that can be shaped to suit those inside the vehicle. The vehicle learns a user's preferences and uses biometric identification to set up the vehicle accordingly when they enter it.

A rendering of the Qoros Qloud Qubed vehicle
A rendering of the Qoros Qloud Qubed vehicle

Another concept that learns about its driver is the Qoros Qloud Qubed, or Q for short. Q is a "multi-dimensional personal management assistant." Like the Acura concept, it changes the interior layout of the car to the user's preference, but it also monitors the driver's performance and will take the vehicle into an autonomous mode if it detects any potential irresponsibility.

Finally, the Peterbilt SymbiotUX aims to enhance the awareness and capabilities of drivers. Performance is monitored, with feedback provided and automatic corrections made. Factors such as aroma are adjust to change to mood within the vehicle, while the preferences of those inside, such as seating position, are learned and provided when the vehicle is in autonomous mode.

The design concepts are on display at the LA Auto Show until November 30th. You can view all of the concept images in our gallery.

Source: LA Auto Show

View gallery - 70 images
1 comment
1 comment
kalqlate
This concept would be a great addition brought to "life" in Star Citizen.