Tomorrow's car could be an office on wheels

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Source: 4Car

By 2050 the car will be a 'virtual colleague' and mobile office for business drivers, according to research into the car of the future commissioned by Skoda. Future cars will also take a much more active role in looking after our safety.

The Centre for Future Studies, the think tank that did the crystal ball gazing for Skoda, concluded that the car will become increasingly robotised to help improve road safety and allow drivers to make better use of their time in the vehicle. Company drivers will be able to watch the news on television, respond to emails and carry out video conferences while on the move. Skoda has clearly been thinking along these lines itself, as the recent Joyster concept was shown at Paris with a laptop zone built into the dash.

The study believes car manufacturers will be using 'haptic' systems - aerospace technology that makes more use of the sense of touch. A car could, for instance, warn the driver of dangerous conditions by vibrating the steering wheel or driver's seat - a system already used by Citroen. Sleepy drivers could also be warned of their drowsiness, which the study believes will be of great interest to fleet managers whose drivers spend long hours behind the steering wheel.

The automated highway is also tipped to become a reality. Cars that join a motorway will become part of a high-speed 'train' of vehicles travelling closely together. This will rely on satellite navigation and in-car sensors to regulate speed and distance.

Dr Frank Shaw of the Centre for Future Studies said: 'Technology will make cars safer, cleaner and more intelligent and will also provide alternatives to our oil dependency. The car of the future will be far more of a versatile, eco-friendly, cyber connected travelling space.'
 
TVR&Ferrari_Fan
'Technology will make cars safer, cleaner and more intelligent and will also provide alternatives to our oil dependency. The car of the future will be far more of a versatile, eco-friendly, cyber connected travelling space.'
Click to expand...

exactly what about 200 other "innovators" and/or "visionaries" have been saying for the last 30 years.

Nothing new to see there.
 
There will always be people unwilling to fork over vehicle control to automated systems.

I know that if I'm on the highway I want the ability to decide if I'm going to pass, stay, swerve, straddle two lanes, whatever I want...
 
...You can allready get a file-folder system in your GMT900 Silverado/Sierra, and the next-gen Tundra too...

We're inching ever closer to the future my friends!
 
Go to the California Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

Take a look at the walls, covered in car designs of mobile offices.

As well as a Lamborghini 2+2 (21st century Espada), whose design apparently has to do with 50 Cent, and which has a profile including a verse of rap song. Strangely enough.
 
ЯebЯuM;2474954
exactly what about 200 other "innovators" and/or "visionaries" have been saying for the last 30 years.

Nothing new to see there.
Click to expand...

Try 60 years:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdpcm/is_200307/ai_ziff43555


There's other World's Fair vehicles that were essentially rolling, bubble-enclosed picnic tables. Japan has lots of vehicles like this, but none of them seem to be useable while driving. Removing driver involvement will only lead us down to automotive annihilation. :grumpy: Having the technology to make this a reality doesn't mean it's something that should be done. There's countless examples of that everywhere....
 

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