Volkswagen
Volkswagen is planning for the future. Today the automaker laid out its plans for Sedric -- short for "self-driving car" -- a sort of hybrid between car ownership and ride-sharing. The boxy, Level 5 autonomous vehicle (no need for a human driver) is summoned by a remote dubbed "The Button" and from there "a single touch of the button guarantees mobility for everyone, at any time and at any location," according to a press release.
Gallery: Volkswagen's Sedric | 7 Photos
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+3Not into sharing your car with anyone else with The Button? It sounds like you won't have to. The Sedric concept is also being pitched as a private autonomous taxi that can handle everything from dropping the kids off at school to picking up pre-ordered groceries.
More than just a car, VW is pitching Sedric as a sort of rolling digital assistant as well. You'll apparently be able to tell the car where to drive you, how to get there. The windshield isn't really a windshield either, it's an OLED display that feeds passengers data about their surroundings.
Oh and if you want an idea of how the vehicle looks on the inside, here's how VW describes it:
"Sedric is a comfortable lounge on wheels, equipped with carefully selected materials. One example of this is the birch leather used to upholster large surfaces. It is a haptic, natural material pleasant to the touch.
"Sedric does not have a driver. The steering wheel, pedals and cockpit are therefore superflouous. This permits a completely new sense of wellbeing in the vehicle -- a welcome home feeling."
Sure!
No details were given for how much Sedric will cost, or when it will arrive, but VW says that Sedric is the "father" of concepts within the company and that it won't be long before it has "children and "grandchildren" from within VW's brands. If all this sounds up your alley, peep the video below and photos above for a closer look at tomorrow.