Swiss firm Rinspeed is known for its unusual concept cars, and in January it will bring the latest of those to CES.
The Rinspeed Oasis concept is a tiny two-seater that the company describes as the automotive equivalent of R2-D2. It may not be able to fit behind the pilot of an X-Wing, but like the iconic Star Wars droid, Rinspeed believes it is a machine that can also be a companion. As with Rinspeed’s other concepts, the underlying technology needed to make the Oasis functional probably isn’t ready, so any claims about its abilities are purely hypothetical.
Rinspeed said the Oasis was “not solely designed with a single purpose in mind like Google’s cars,” likely referring to the tech company’s pod-like self-driving cars. That implies that the Oasis is autonomous as well, although Rinspeed won’t reveal more details about that until the car’s CES debut. Unlike the Google cars, or virtually any other cars, the Oasis can turn within its own axis, aiding maneuverability in urban areas.
Read more: Google says its mission is to create “superhuman drivers”
The interior includes a multifunction steering wheel, but was also designed to have the “ambience of a modern-day family room.” As the name suggests, Rinspeed believes the cabin can serve as an oasis from the outside world, an idea that’s come up a lot in discussions of self-driving cars, given the extra time they may afford commuters. The windshield doubles as a screen for both virtual and augmented reality projections.
Rinspeed also has some interesting ideas about how the Oasis can be used. Besides being a regular personal car, it can act as a “micro delivery vehicle,” ferrying packages or even pizzas when it’s not needed to transport passengers. A special climate-controlled drawer built into the rear of the car makes that possible.
Rinspeed will likely have more to say about the Oasis concept when it debuts at CES in January. Stick with Digital Trends for all of the latest updates.
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