Driving Like It’s 2057

Today’s vehicles feature artificial intelligence that allow hands-free parking and electronic stability control, but in 50 years vehicles might be able to move in any direction, drive and navigate robotically and have structures that morph and adapt to passengers’ needs.
This is according to auto designers as part of the fourth annual Los Angeles Auto Show’s Design Challenge.
Eight automotive design studios based in Southern California, including Audi, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen created design concepts that envision the RoboCar of 2057.
These futuristic designs adapt to a variety of environmental conditions and consumer needs, from battling LA’s traffic vertically to turning pollutants extracted out of the air into fuel and even picking the kids up after soccer practice without the need for a human driver.
The designers entered two dimensional renderings and concept descriptions predicting how the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence will integrate into the automobile to make life safer, more convenient and more attractive to consumers 50 years from now.
Entries will be judged by Tom Matano of San Francisco’s Academy of Art University, Imre Molner of Detroit’s College for Creative Studies and Stewart Reed of Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design.
Special guest judge this year is robotics expert Chris Myers.
Meyers is an independent design consultant specializing in remote telepresence robotics and has been a contributing writer for robotic hobby magazines, Servo and Robot.
He also teaches design at San Francisco’s Academy of Art University.