Its name may not sound familiar in the ears of general
consumers, but for the automotive enthusiasts, the Rinspeed name is well known
as an expert of tuning and modifying modern cars and also restoring classic
cars. Since 1991, this Swiss company has participated in designing the concept
cars. One of the most unique works of Rinspeed is the sQuba, the world's first
car that can be driven both on land and under water, inspired by the James Bond
movies.
In its latest creation, Rinspeed adopts the futuristic
technologies and everything that could potentially facilitate the car owners.
Rinspeed introduces a concept car named Σtos. Like the popular trend nowadays,
Rinspeed tries to explore the idea of self-driving, but doesn't reduce the
awareness level of the drivers toward the surrounding environment. Uniquely,
Σtos is also accompanied by a drone.
The appearance of Rinspeed Σtos represents its
sophistication premise. However, maybe you feel a bit familiar with its look,
that's because Σtos utilizes the base of BMW i8, a hybrid sport car that has
been marketed since the mid of 2014. Σtos carries a mix of aluminum and carbon
fiber structure, plus a Corning Gorilla Glass roof.
In the interior, Σtos has a retractable steer ZF TRW. When
you turn on the autopilot, the steering will be hiding in the dashboard, expand
the space in the vehicle. You can relax while reading a book, or watch the
video through two curved ultra-HD screens 21.5-inch. The infotainment element
of Σtos is supported by Harman Connected Car technology which can respond to
voice commands, gestures, and a touches input.
Then what is the function of the drone? Rinspeed chooses the
UAV type of DJI; it can be used for various tasks such as sending a bouquet of
flowers, or take selfie photos and record videos while you're driving. When
inactive, this quad-copter drone will land on the drone pad on the back of Etoz.
The landing platform saves 12,000 customizable LED lights; you can make them as
message board.
There are eight HD cameras outside, presenting a panoramic
view of 180 degrees to the front and rear, without blind spots. In complicated
situations such as narrow road or parking, the Curb View feature (shows a
direct view to the wheels) will turn on automatically. When the car is running,
the navigation system will display a 3D view of buildings, trees, stations, and
others.
According to the plan, Rinspeed Σtos will be exhibited at
the Consumer Electronics Show 2016, on next January 5.