Who would say that the novelty in the Avatar franchise would be a car, not a movie?
You heard right, the genius behind the modern science fiction classic, James Cameron, took a break from shooting the often-delayed movie series, to help the Mercedes-Benz brand design its latest concept vehicle - the Vision AVTR for this year's CES.
In addition, while we have seen a handful of wild car concepts over the years, none has been as interesting as the novelty of the German brand. With a mesmerizing techno-organic aesthetic, the latest prototype autonomous vehicle is turning to the 2009 blockbuster to offer us a vision of the future of the car world.
Like any compelling concept, the first thing you will notice about Vision AVTR (Advanced Vehicle Transformation, not Avatar) is its incredible design. With a rounded, sensual body, translucent doors and neon accents, this car looks like something that came from the future, more specifically the version of the future introduced in Cameron's movie series. The most notable aspect of this car's exterior is the thirty-three bionic flaps that remind us of reptiles. As they say from the Mercedes-Benz brand, the flaps will provide energy to the car, though, at least for now, it is not clear how. In addition, the car has illuminated wheels, inspired by the "seeds of the Soul Tree" from the first Avatar movie. The wheels can move sideways and diagonally, so the car can move like a crab.
The interior of this car equally reminds us of the famous movie. The large front and rear door shades and transparencies give travelers the opportunity to feel truly connected to nature, or exposed to it. The dashboard does not even have a hint of the steering wheel, but the concept uses its extra screen integration space, which merges with the center console, which projects information and images of the external environment. The rest of the interior, including reclining seats, is equipped with sustainable materials such as vegan leather and rattan.
New era technology will excite any science fiction fan who sees this car. According to Mercedes-Benz, their goal was to create a car that is more of a living creature than a machine, partly achieved with biometric controls. While the steering wheel was completely absent from this creation, the center console was fitted with an accordion-like “multifunctional control element” that allowed the driver to mate with the vehicle and become a symbiotic organism. With the ability to register heartbeat and rhythm of the driver's breathing, this control element will give drivers access to key car elements, that is, an opportunity to control their journey with gentle hand movements.
In addition, the car itself can adapt to its passengers. If it feels that it is driving a family, the Vision AVTR rear seat will offer access to family-friendly educational and augmented reality content. Parents will be able to keep eye on their children via the dashboard.
Mercedes-Benz is open to the fact that the Vision AVTR is just a concept and nothing more, at least for now. However, they claim that the car industry is moving in this direction, and that it is only a matter of time before people, nature and supercars become one.
