Rinspeed will be going to the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show on Jan. 6 at Las Vegas with the Etos concept car. The inspiration behind the car concept is a BMW i8 hybrid designed to excite and engage its drivers.
The Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show is an event in which more and more automobile manufacturers show up due to the fast-increasing convergence of automotive and technological industries each year. Year 2016 is no different as Swiss automotive engineering Rinspeed prepares the Etos concept car for the event.
Although the Etos is not new and the company did not develop any of its own vehicles, Rinspeed has always been the forefront of automotive trends due to its series of out-of-this-world concepts and this is probably the case for the Etos.
The inspiration behind the Rinspeed Etos concept car is the BMW's i8 hybrid plug-in sports car. The purpose of the car's design is to excite and engage its drivers. Embedded in the car are a total of eight cameras to monitor its surroundings at 360 degrees. In addition, it makes an impressive 180-degree panoramic view of the front and back of the vehicle possible, plus virtual side mirrors that have no blind spots with an expanded vision field.
As autonomous vehicles are now the trend of motoring, the Etos also demonstrates self-driving functions. It has a full autonomous mode where the driver is left to relax as the steering wheel folds away. In self-driving mode, the displays in the vehicle transform into an entertainment system developed by Harman International Industries.
The drone established at the back of the vehicle is also something worth noticing. The company visualizes the drone being used to film the Etos as its driver uses the vehicle. As the drone take images or films, the driver can upload it or stream it live on the internet so they can share it with their friends. Another situation would be using the drone to fetch something in case the driver forgot to bring it on the trip. Instead of going back with the car, the drone can fetch it for them.
Other interesting features of the car include a personal electronic assistant that navigates routes, find fuel stations, and make phone calls for the driver. Ceramic and metal alloys, a three-dimensional paint job, and an unusual onboard payment system makes up the car's trim elements, which allows its drivers or passengers to make payments with a swipe of their credit cards.
Rinspeed Chief Executive Officer, Frank Rinderknecht, said that the digital world will be providing disruptive inventions in auto engineering. This is why major automotive manufacturers and suppliers alike are present at the Consumer Electronics Show every year.
