Mercedes Benz has unveiled a wild new concept car that was inspired by the 2009 movie Avatar called — what else? — the Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR at CES 2020.
The VISION AVTR shows a completely new interaction between human, machine and nature, the German manufacturer said on Tuesday.
For Mercedes-Benz, the VISION AVTR is a very untypical concept vehicle.
“We have always looked to the future in our history, but we have never looked so far away. For me personally, however, that is precisely the appeal. The VISION AVTR is a mixture of science and creative speculation. It combines the technologically feasible with what is desirable for the future and underlines the courage and pioneering spirit of our brand,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG.
This concept car is like a living creature, said Mercedes Benz. “The entire rear end of the AVTR is covered in 33 discrete scales — or as Mercedes-Benz calls them, “bionic flaps”, which are reminiscent of scales of reptiles. Mercedes-Benz says they can communicate with the driver and through the driver with their outside world through naturally flowing movements in subtle gestures.”
The holistic concept of the VISION AVTR combines the design disciplines interior, exterior and UX on an unprecedented scale. The distinctive inside-out design structure combines inside and outside into an emotional whole and was inspired by several creatures from the movie AVATAR. With its stretched “One Bow” design and organic design language, the VISION AVTR offers a visionary outlook on the design of the future.
Since this futuristic car is obviously there’s no need for a steering wheel.
Instead of a conventional steering wheel, the multifunctional control element in the centre console allows human and machine to merge. By placing the hand on the control unit, the interior comes to life and the vehicle recognizes the driver by his or her heartbeat and breathing.
Furthermore, this concept car offers an immersive experience space. By simply lifting the hand, a menu selection is projected onto the palm of the hand, through which the passenger can intuitively choose between different functionalities. For example, real-time 3D graphics can be used to explore the fictional world of Pandora from different perspectives. The curved display module creates a visual connection between passengers and the outside world. As soon as the passengers take their seats in the VISION AVTR, they merge with the vehicle and can virtually feel and perceive the world around them even more consciously.
When the boundaries between vehicle and living beings are lifted Mercedes-Benz combines luxury and sustainability and works to make the vehicles as resource-saving as possible.
With the VISION AVTR, Mercedes Benz says it is now showing how a vehicle can blend harmoniously into its environment and communicate with it.
“In the ecosystem of the future, the ultimate luxury is the fusion of human and nature with the help of technology. The VISION AVTR is thus an example of sustainable luxury in the field of design,” says the manufacturer. “As soon as you get in, the car becomes an extension of your own body and a tool to discover the environment much as in the film humans can use avatars to extend and expand their abilities.”
What is the basic scenario of the VISION AVTR?
“The VISION AVTR serves as an imaginative guide to a future in which our relationship with ourselves, nature and technology has changed. Human beings see themselves as part of the biosphere and are in contact with it. Technology enables us to feel and see the communication streams of the biosphere that are still hidden to us today, to understand them holistically,” Alexander Mankowsky, futurologist at Mercedes-Benz, explains.
“This understanding will not be passively observing, but will give us opportunities to travel and shape the biosphere with pleasure.
“The luxury and beauty of the future are based on nature: A flowering rose bush, for example, is fading in colours, shapes and fragrances, and yet remains a permanent player in the cycle of nature. The future luxury of Mercedes-Benz will be based on this.”
