Swiss custom manufacturer Rinspeed is known for its innovative projects, such as the firm’s amphibious Bond-inspired sQuba and robot-driven Buddi. In anticipation of the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show, they have teased their next vehicle, the hybrid Etos (Σtos) concept. Rinspeed calls the Etos their twenty-second in-house concept vehicle, and it marks the first time the company will introduce a car outside of its native country. Typically, the world gets its first glimpse of a Rinspeed concept at the Geneva Motor Show. In a press release, Rinspeed founder Frank Rinderknecht explains the change of location:
“The major and especially the disruptive innovations in future automotive engineering will come from the digital realm. That is why all major manufacturers and suppliers are now present at the CES Consumer Electronic Show.”
The Etos is a driverless car with an intuitive autopilot system that learns its surroundings, adjusting to compensate for changing environments. The interior can also adapt to different conditions; in autonomous mode, the steering wheel retracts into the dashboard, while the two curved digital displays move closer to the driver (who is at this point more of a passenger).
Harman International Industries lent its connected car technology to the Etos concept. Rinspeed likens this feature to a personal assistant; one that will cater to and anticipate your needs. Harman describes the connected car as one that will feature augmented navigation, cloud services, gesture-based controls, and extensive smartphone connectivity.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Etos concept is the little landing pad on the rear deck lid. The car will come with its own color-matched drone. The company envisions drivers receiving online orders on the go, or sending gifts to others. The drone also comes equipped with a camera that can stream live video.
The Etos was developed in partnership with 25 other companies, including Gorilla Glass creators Corning Inc., and custom wheel supplier Borbet.
The 2016 CES runs from January 6-9. We will keep you informed on more tech developments as the date draws closer.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.